Mandy Harvey, from St. Cloud, Florida, participated in the audition process for “America’s Got Talent” while accompanied on stage by several musicians and a sign-language interpreter. She said that beginning at the age of 18, she had been unable to hear well.
She came up with a strategy to go back into singing after she made the decision to not let anything stop her. During the audition, she sang a song that she had written herself, which was about how she was working hard to overcome her impairment and not let it define who she was.
During the performance of Harvey’s song, she went barefoot so that she could use her feet to feel the floor tremble in time with the rhythm of the music. Her beautiful voice, along with the moving words she sang, made for an outstanding performance.
She hadn’t even finished speaking when the crowd broke out into a roaring round of applause. Harvey received a standing ovation from both the judges and the audience. Everyone was taken aback by her stunning vocals as well as her resolute attitude of defiance.
A few tears were shed by Mandy Harvey in response to the very positive reaction she received, but those emotions were swiftly replaced by astonishment and pleasure when Simon Cowell reached over and hit the golden buzzer to advance her straight to the live shows.
Cowell stated, “That was one of the most extraordinary things I have ever seen and heard,” and “I have seen and heard a lot in my life.” He ran up to the stage quickly and wrapped his arms around Mandy, kissed her on the cheek before giving her a hard hug. It was very evident that he had a genuine regard for you.
As seen by her resilience and determination in the face of adversity, this young lady exemplifies the truth that the only person standing between you and achieving your goals is yourself. Everything else is only an obstacle in our way.