I love to play the piano. In fact, growing up, one of the greatest gifts my parents ever gave me was requiring me to practice the piano for at least thirty minutes a day, five days a week. In grade school I played in recitals and took part in piano competitions.
My love for the piano ultimately led me to attend Interlochen Arts Academy, a fine arts high school. At Interlochen, I quickly learned that there were those who love to play the piano and there were those with a ton of talent who also loved to play the piano. Add it up, and I realized that I could strike “professional musician” off my list of career options.
But since I never gave up my love for listening to great pianists, this week’s Words of Encouragement resonated with me.
Donald Gould was homeless and living on the streets of Sarasota, Florida. But what the people who routinely walked by Donald didn’t know was that he was a former Marine and a musician.
In 2015, the Sarasota Keys Project decided to place a dozen pianos on the streets of Sarasota so that local artists, including homeless folks like Donald Gould, could exhibit their artistic talents. Very few people, if any, could have predicted what would happen.
Donald sat down at one of those pianos and started playing some music. And when someone recorded his performance on a video and decided to post the video on some social media outlets such as Facebook, it turned out to be his big break – his second chance.
Donald wasn’t really interested in performing a concert. Instead, he noted that: “I can make some money now. I put my hat on the piano, with a dollar in there for a primer, started playing almost every day and on some days made as much as $300."
Since Donald’s love for playing the piano gave him a reason to live, he committed himself to protecting those pianos so they “wouldn’t get trashed.”
As people watched this homeless man with a scruffy beard, dirty clothes and long hair play the piano, the video went viral. And overnight, Donald got noticed by thousands of people.
Since then, he has gotten off the street, had the opportunity to travel around the country and internationally, and is having a movie made about his journey.
Donald grew up with a love for music. He played in the high school band, as well as the Marine Corps band. Things seemed to be going very well for him until his personal struggles proved to be overwhelming for a while.
After his discharge in 1986, he realized there were limited options for clarinet players so he worked a variety of jobs in the construction industry and drove semis before going to college and ultimately becoming a band teacher.
But after his wife died of an overdose and the social service agencies took his child away from him, things went downhill – fast. He left Michigan and moved to Florida. He lost everything and began his ten-year journey living on the streets.
That experience taught him that his most important job was just to survive each and every day. The situation was “dirty and filthy” and he had to continually beg for money. For Donald, each day was a dangerous struggle. Fortunately he persevered which is why his story doesn’t end there.
Donald still had his wits about him and incredible talents which were just waiting to be tapped. With his hat on the piano, he took the second chance that had been given to him by the Sarasota Keys Project, and played on and on. In this video of Donald, he is playing the song, from Styx’s “Come Sail Away,” that launched his second chance.
And the opportunities have continued. Whether it was performing the national anthem for a Monday Night Football with the San Francisco 49ers, or producing his very first CD album, Donald got “back on his feet.” He took advantage of his second chance!
Donald has returned to Sarasota where he continues his musical journey. And he is also working on reconnecting with and affirming his son Donnie who lives with his adoptive parents.
Donald’s journey from homeless to acclaim, reminds us of the words from Philippians:
“He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”
