Florida teen using music to help find a cure for blindness
By Ari Hait
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LAKE WORTH BEACH, Florida (WPBF) — When Miles Hoyt starts playing his lap steel guitar, it’s hard not to stop and listen.
His talent is remarkable, and it’s not just because he’s only 13 years old.
It’s also because Miles is legally blind.
“I can’t see anything right in front of me,” Miles said. “But I can see things on the side.”
Miles began losing his vision when he was 6 years old.
Doctors eventually diagnosed him with a rare disorder called Stargardt disease.
“We were really grieving as parents who thought, ‘This kid, he’s already shown all this great talent in music,’” said Renee Hoyt, Miles’ mother. “And then boom, all of a sudden, he’s going to be legally blind.”
“There were tears immediately,” said Michael Hoyt, Miles’ father. “And then we started researching and finding out more about the disease.
Michael said they learned there is no treatment for Stargardt disease.
Miles’ vision would continue to get worse.
“As it progressed, I was like, ‘This isn’t fair,’” Miles said. “My dad was drinking coffee one morning. I just came out of my room crying.”
But through the tears, the one thing Miles could always rely on was his music.
Since he can’t read sheet music, he’s learned to use his ears to identify notes and pitch.
He’s played gigs all over south Florida, mostly in his hometown of Lake Worth Beach.
And that’s how his family got the idea of using his talent to raise money for research to cure blindness.
“We thought, ‘Wouldn’t that be cool? Maybe we can do something community-focused,’” Renee said.
That’s how Smiles for Miles was born.
It’s essentially a one-day music festival Saturday in Lake Worth Beach.
Miles will play along with a host of other musicians, including his parents.
They’ll raise money through a variety of ways, including donations, raffles and silent auctions, including for two tickets to see one of Miles’ favorite musicians, Joe Bonamassa, in Fort Lauderdale Saturday night.
Proceeds will be donated to the Foundation Fighting Blindness.
“I know that it won’t go away unless we do something about it,” Miles said. “And that’s what Smiles for Miles is based around.”
More information about Smiles for Miles can be found at the event’s website.
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