Vernon Barnard was born with glaucoma. He could see reasonably well before he lost his sight and underwent 16 operations before turning five years old. But despite his disabilities and hardships, Vernon decided to live out his passion for singing and audition for the The Voice: South Africa. Little did he know, his very first audition would steal all of the judges' hearts — and one judge in particular.
Vernon's heartwarming rendition of One Direction's "Story of My Life" already impresses the judges before they turn around and see the man behind the voice — but once Bobby van Jaarsveld spins around in his chair and realizes Vernon cannot see, he breaks down in tears. "Here's your guy," Bobby's fellow judge whispers into his ear. It's clear that Bobby feels a very strong connection to this special contestant, and is touched not only by his talent, but also his strength and determination to never give up. The fact Vernon's parents are watching from the sidelines makes this moment especially emotional.
What this video doesn't show is Bobby begging Vernon to join his team as he literally gets down on his knees. Vernon accepts, and together they'll continue the competition.
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