The Incredible Mr. Nathaniel Anthony Ayers

Last night I had the pleasure of watching the movie "The Soloist", featuring Jamie Foxx as Nathaniel Ayers and Robert Downey Jr. as Steve Lopez. Based on a true story, the film is about Los Angeles journalist Steve Lopez and schizophrenic musician Nathaniel Ayers became friends. While trying to find a topic for a column, Lopez found Ayers playing a two-stringed violin on skid row. Lopez saw a story in this man and began the columns. The columns eventually came a book, which then became the movie. I highly recommend the movie, however, the true story of Nathaniel Ayers is fascinating. He went to Juilliard for double bass but dropped out during his third year because of a mental breakdown. His mother saw no other choice but to put him through electroconvulsive therapy. This therapy failed and scarred Ayers. Years later, he is homeless on the streets of Los Angeles playing music for himself to calm the voices in his head. Currently, he is living in Los Angeles at Lamp Community. Lamp Community is a non-profit organization that helps take homeless men and women with serious mental illness off the streets. Ayers's story is amazing. It shows the true healing capabilities of music.