If you knew nothing about 13-year-old Jake Zeldin and you heard him rapping, you would find it impossible to believe that he suffers from severe stuttering. And by severe I mean the kind that he can barely get two words out without you noticing that he has a speech impediment. But, for some reason, when he raps, his stutter disappears and he transforms into Lil JaXe. I'm sure you can imagine how empowering this is for him. If not, just watch the video below to be inspired by this teen.
Less than two weeks ago, Jake got the opportunity of a lifetime when he got to perform on the same stage as Jay-Z, Kanye West, Elton John at the "We Day"event in Toronto, Ontario. "We Day is about sharing and living a life of giving because you get so much back when you help others," according to what Jake wrote on a blog post about his experience for CNN last week.
When you finally find your voice, you can't wait to use it. I've always had so much to say, but now that I found the way to share my mind and let the words flow, I wanted the whole world to hear me.
Sadly, life wasn't always this awesome for Jake. For years, his severe stuttering made him the perfect target to be bullied by both his peers and, believe it or not, even some of his teachers.
Despite the amount of time and money that his parents devoted to his treatment, nothing seemed to make much of a difference in Jake's speech disorder until he found rap. In it, Jake has been able to find refuge and a way of communicating all that he's been wanting to say for so long.
What an inspiration!
Image via Facebook
