Blake Hall
Chances are, you have already seen the stunning video of a homeless man beautifully playing “Come Sail Away” by Styx. After all, the video has amassed 10 million views in two weeks.
What you might not have known is that the piano player is a Marine.
Donald Gould played clarinet in the Marine Corps, and his great ambition was to become a music teacher. His passion for music is palpable as his fingers dance across those ivories, but he was forced to cut his music education short due to expensive tuition. Shortly after the sudden death of his wife, Gould succumbed to drug addiction and lost custody of his three year-old son, Donny.
Losing his family haunted Gould. When the video of Gould playing the piano went viral, the veteran told reporters, “There’s not a day that’s gone by since they took him from me that I haven’t thought about him.”
Internet fame can work wonders. First, Gould was rewarded a full scholarship to finish his music education at Sprint Arbor University. Next, a GoFundMe campaign run by a couple of Gould’s friends raised $40,000 for the veteran and kicked off the search for Donny, who is now 18. Then, Gould checked into a rehab facility to get his life back on track.
And lastly, Gould reunited with his son for the first time since social services took him away. While they only spoke over video chat, the reunion promises to be the beginning of this homeless Marine’s second chance.