BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. — You've heard the saying, "where there's a will, there's a way."
One person who knows that very well is a musician in Boynton Beach. What he lacks in eyesight he makes up for in artistic vision.
With every strum on his guitar, Mark Melendez is filled with pride. He taught himself to play music, looking past the many challenges he's faced.
"I don't let anything push me back," Melendez said.
He's always found the right tune.
"When I came into the world, the doctors were skeptical if I was gonna see normally," Melendez said.
He was born without eyes.
"It was a devastating thing. But I managed to grow up normally," Melendez said.
He's never seen a single thing in his life. All he knew growing up was that music was his true passion.
"I started with my first keyboard when my uncle was alive. He gave me that very first little mini Casio," Melendez said. "And that's how I took off."
Today, he finds his way around his bedroom studio and continues to create music every single day.
At 40 years old, he's independent and a role model to other people, like Daphne Taylor.
"This kid is a musical genius," Taylor said.
She reached out to WPTV News knowing Mark's gift was worth sharing with everyone.
"He just was born with the gift of music," Taylor said.
Taylor is also losing her ability to see the world clearly. The Braille Club of Palm Beach County brough them together and they've become good friends.
"If he can do that with never having sight, anybody, anybody can do anything in this world," Melendez said.
Mark now uses the sound of his own music to inspire others.
"If you have a passion for music or for anything, do it," Melendez said.
