Contestant With Tourette's Syndrome Earns Golden Ticket And A Surprise From Past Idol - Inspirational Videos

A contestant with Tourette’s Syndrome earns a Golden Ticket, and gets a big surprise from a past American Idol star!

When Anilee List and her family started noticing the development of some “unusual” physical and vocal tics at the age of seven, they were concerned with how this might affect Anilee’s life going forward.

But with a valiant passion for musical performance and a supporting group of family and friends, Anilee was able to make the best of the hand she was dealt.

At the age of ten, Anilee was diagnosed with Tourette’s Syndrome, a disorder that impacts the nervous system and causes those affected to make sudden involuntary movements or sounds known as ‘tics.’ “I didn’t wanna be the ‘kid with something wrong with her,’” Anilee recalled. Anilee did not let this disorder prevent her from pursuing her passion, however, and continued to sing and perform on any stage she could find.

Then one day in 2011 Anilee was watching season ten of the TV singing competition, ‘American Idol’ when she first saw contestant singer, James Durbin. After making it through the initial audition round, James emotionally explained to judges how he was diagnosed with Tourette’s Syndrome (much like Anilee) when he was young, but how whenever he sang it would make all the tics seem to disappear.

Having just been diagnosed that year, Anilee was suffering from a severe decline in her self-confidence, but after seeing James Durbin find success in the profession of her dreams, she once again felt like she could make her dream into a reality.

At 20 years old, Anilee finally had her shot to do the same, and upon stepping into the ‘American Idol’ audition room, Anilee gave a chillingly good performance that earned her a standing ovation from all three judges, the chance to go to Hollywood to compete to be the next American Idol, and a personal video call from her inspiration himself, Mr. James Durbin.

"Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."Joshua 1:9