Children are the future of this generation and we must protect them at all costs. And one way to do this is by making sure they get a quality education at school.
There, they don’t just hone their intellectual skills but also their other talents in different fields like sports and performing arts.
For one talented student, music is not just a hobby but something that he plans to do in the long run.
His name is Alijah Lockhart and his love for music is beyond rhythm and beat.
He was just a toddler when he started playing the drums. Most of his audience before was churchgoers because he used to play at the church.
Believe it or not, Alijah didn’t enroll himself in any music classes or drum lessons.
Call him “natural” because he’s a self-taught drums player.
But the music in his life suddenly stopped when their family met a very unfortunate incident.
Recalling the tragic day, Alijah told NBCDFW in an exclusive interview, “December 2016, my house burned down and that’s when the drums got destroyed in the house fire.”
He decided to pursue what he truly loves, given the tight situation they’re in, the 5th grader didn’t stop.
He continued practicing at their school, at the church, and at the Guitar Center. He really believed in his talents and did whatever he could to improve on his craft.
Until one day, the tide turned to his side.
It was a few years back when his story became viral and known by millions of people around the world.
In 2018, when he was still 10 years old, his music teacher at Wilmeth Elementary School, Stacy Caldwell, became the key to his discovery.
“Knowing that he had that in his soul and he had nothing to play on and so I just knew immediately we have to get him some drums somehow,” Caldwell explained.
Caldwell video recorded Lockhart while playing drums on a five-gallon bucket. His story touched countless people’s hearts and then days after, blessings came in pouring.
An unforgettable day.
Following the first viral video, teacher Caldwell arranged another recording. Only this time, it’s about delivering the good news to the drummer boy Alijah.
In the video, she said, “Everyone wanted to help get you some new drums and so… I have a surprise for you.”
After uncovering the somehow already obvious surprise, the ecstatic 5th grader’s eye popped because of so much joy and surprise.
The boy was left speechless and all he was able to say was a heartfelt “thank you” to his music teacher Caldwell who alongside believed in his dream.
“I just was not expecting the kind of reaction that I got from him. It was really hard to keep from crying when I saw tears in his eyes,” music teacher Caldwell said.
It was indeed a beautiful moment between a boy with undying faith in his talent and a teacher who went above and beyond her profession just to support her student.
To pile up the good news, he’s not just getting a new set of drums but also an electronic drum set, a practice pad, and music books.
It is true that when it rains, it pours.
Alijah’s dream is to become a professional drummer one day. With his undeniable talent, tools, and the right people guiding him, we can already tell the future is bright for this kid.
Watch the fun video below.
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