The story of Tyler Butler-Figueroa and his Journey to the America's Got Talent live shows

Tyler Butler-Figueroa is an 11-year-old violinist who captured the hearts of the America's Got Talent viewers with his inspiring story and golden buzzer performance. Before his audition, the North Carolina native revealed he started playing the violin when he was seven because he was bullied at school. When asked by Judge Julianne Huff why he was being bullied, Tyler gave a heartbreaking response. It's because I had cancer. I almost died. Tyler's mother, Kiswa Butler-Figueroa, explained Tyler was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia at the age of four. She went on to describe the emotions she felt the day she found out. One day, we were out to dinner, and we said, something doesn't look right with Tyler. He turned kind of pale. Tyler was quickly rushed to UNC Children's Hospital in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, where blood tests showed he had cancer. Kiswa had just given birth to Tyler's younger brother, Adam, who was three months old at the time. It was the worst day of my life, his mother said. Tyler did not cry or feel sad after learning of his diagnosis, and the family would leave the hospital for the first time after a week. Tyler would endure chemotherapy for the During the time Tyler was receiving chemotherapy, he had to have surgery to install a port in his chest for easy access to his veins. Unfortunately, this meant Tyler was not able to play or have any rough physical contact, which could damage the port. For Tyler, being restricted from playing sports, running, and roughhousing was hard, and the toll of chemotherapy impacted more than just his health. Tyler's mom explained, Tyler went through the phase of his hair falling out, and I think that was the hardest part for him, the outside physical appearance. We also had to push him in a stroller when he doubled his weight and could hardly walk due to the steroids he was taking. I was sad and embarrassed, Tyler said. The bullies would spread rumors to say that my cancer was contagious, and they all wanted to stay away from me. It was during this time that Tyler found his new inspiration in music. Tyler spotted a flyer at school offering free music lessons through the non-profit program Kids Notes. Through the organization, Tyler received free violin lessons, which taught him various styles of music, including classical, folk, and holiday music. Tyler's mom said, after joining the Kids Notes music program, he became more responsible, especially now that he's going through a phase of peer pressure. He's learning that he cannot follow the lead of other students that are doing things that they should not be doing just to try to be accepted. Looking at Tyler today, you wouldn't realize the young musician has been through so much. His chemotherapy treatments have been completed, and his cancer is in remission. His mom helped him start his own YouTube channel called Tyler BF Violinist after he expressed the desire to become famous and play the violin all over the world. Tyler uses his music and story to encourage other children who are battling cancer. He still gets checkups at UNC Pediatric Oncology and will bring his violin and play songs in the waiting area for other pediatric patients and their families. Between his Kids Notes performances and YouTube, Tyler slowly started to gain attention with his performances. At the end of last year, he had the opportunity to play the national anthem at the Carolina Hurricanes game during its Hockey Fights Cancer Night. One of Tyler's dreams was to appear on America's Got Talent. I had a dream of being on it, but I never thought it would become a reality, he said. I just really like playing the violin. Using his street performing permit, he entertained North Carolina lunch crowds last fall to raise money to audition for America's Got Talent in Charlotte. His mom would sit nearby as Tyler played songs through an amplified speaker, his violin case open, and waiting for donations from passersby. Tyler's younger brother Adam also joined the performances, showing off his slick dance moves and acting as Tyler's hype man. The family's efforts paid off, and they were able to raise the money to get him to the audition. Before his audition, Tyler explained how playing the violin helped him get through the bullying he endured. When I play the violin, it helps me forget about all the bad stuff, he said. I just didn't want to be the kid with cancer, so now I'm the kid who plays the violin. For his audition, Tyler performed Kelly Clarkson's song, Stronger, on the violin while commanding the stage and engaging the audience. The performance earned him a standing ovation. Judge Julianne Hough commended him for taking something that's one of the hardest things you'll ever have to go through and turning it around and finding something that brings you joy. The judges asked Tyler how he was feeling now that his audition performance was over, and he told them he was feeling really proud of himself. Judge Simon Cowell then told Tyler he had something to say to the bullies on his behalf before pressing his golden buzzer. In an interview after his performance, Tyler said, I was confident that I was going to get a yes to go to the next level, but I never thought I would get the golden buzzer. When the gold was falling, it just felt like it was in slow motion, Tyler later stated. I was just crying. I gave my mom a hug. It just feels like a dream come true. Singer Kelly Clarkson had a pretty strong reaction to Tyler's audition and also revealed a connection they share, tweeting, I can't breathe. I'm crying so hard. Tyler, I hope we get the chance to perform together one day. I started playing violin when I was a kid too. It's the first instrument that introduced me to being a part of the music and not just listening. Tyler now jumps ahead to the live shows in August, where he'll compete against the other contestants who make it past the dreaded judge cuts. Do you think Tyler has what it takes to win America's Got Talent? Let us know in the comments below. And thank you for watching.