Kuha'o case: Performance at TEDxTeen 2013

Born and raised on the big island of Hawaii, Kuha'o Case is the oldest of three children. His constant smile and enthusiasm for life, together with his remarkable musical abilities and passion, create something inspirational that is positively influencing people all over the world. Incredibly, this 16-year-old prodigy started teaching himself how to play the piano and the organ four short years ago. With limited access to a piano, he was only able to practice a few hours each week. But thanks to supportive fans, not only was he able to acquire his own piano this past year, but he also realized his dream of releasing his first album, Dare to Dream. As if all of this is not remarkable enough, Kuha'o Case is blind. Born two months premature, Kuha'o underwent a necessary operation in order to save his life. Unfortunately, complications from the operation left him blind. Doctors didn't expect him to live, but he beat the odds. While it would be so easy for someone in his situation to wallow in self-pity, Kuha'o never succumbs to pessimism. Rather, his positive attitude is constant. He knows that being blind will never keep him from realizing his dreams. Like his music, being blind is a necessary part of him. His message is that no matter how difficult our circumstances, and no matter how hard things might be, we are all capable of greatness. As he has demonstrated in his own life, if we believe in ourselves, anything is possible. In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)