How AGT Winner Kodi Lee Has Changed Viewers' Lives

Almost immediately following Kodi Lee's first performance, social media exploded in support of the reality contestant. "I dare you to watch this new America's Got Talent audition and not cry!!!! This is so special! I will never forget how I felt watching Kodi Lee on TV for the first time!!!!" blogger and media personality Perez Hilton wrote on Twitter. Another social media user added her two cents on Twitter, commenting, "Kodi Lee is simply AMAZING. Like how can you be soo talented. God Bless him."

Kodi's mom Tina Lee spoke to Parade about the impact that she's seen her son have on American audiences. "I've watched him change people's lives," she said. "One of our biggest messages is it doesn't matter what disability, no matter what — even if you don't have a disability — you can do it. As long as you keep trying and put all your hard work into it, you can do it. It is possible." That said, some media coverage around Kodi's performances may have stereotyped his disabilities as "tragedies" that he needs to overcome, according to HuffPost. As the Center for Disability Rights told the outlet, it's important to remember that "there shouldn't be a need, by media or society as a whole, for Kodi to have to overcome his disability to achieve."