![]() Instead, he took an immediate liking to the double bass and fell in love with string instruments. Moon, introduced him to classical music, she says.Īyers, who always sported top-notch clothing and loved to be fashionable, first tried playing the tuba, but the brass instrument didn’t interest him. Her brother – the only boy in a house of three sisters - was very ‘studious’ and first picked up an instrument in the seventh grade when his music instructor, Mr. He continues to struggle with mental health but is off the streets, is safe and cared for and continues to see his friend the columnist once a week. I can only hope that Hollywood understands that it’s not going away and I thank them for that.' 'I still hear from people reaching out to talk about mental health because of it, for themselves or for someone they know. I don’t know if Hollywood gets what the movie really did for A LOT of people. 'I really expected it to fade, after all I do have real family that I don’t hear from. She pauses before adding: ‘The producers were like “oh, we’re family now” and I don’t even know where they are. ‘I had a lot of people trying to help me when this was all current in Hollywood, but unfortunately as that goes away so do the people,’ she says, her voice cracking. ![]() But now, nearly 10 years later, his sister, Jennifer Ayers-Moore (together above in 2016), told that help has faded, but her brother is safe and off the streets Hollywood had promised to help the musical prodigy and even went as far as describing him as ‘family’. But now, nearly 10 years later, his sister, Jennifer Ayers-Moore, told that help has faded.Įverything seemed to be on the up for Ayers, who had spent more years of his life struggling than not. Suddenly Ayers was a household name and was even invited to the White House where he met then-President Barack Obama during the 20-year celebration of the Americans with Disabilities Act.Įverything seemed to be on the up for Ayers, who had spent more years of his life struggling than not. It became a New York Times bestseller and was adapted into a movie with Jamie Foxx and Robert Downey Jr. The classical violinist was befriended by a columnist whose writings about Ayers was turned into a book. It was that passion for music led to one of the biggest changes in his life since Julliard. But it was while living out his dream in New York City, he suffered a mental breakdown during his junior year and was institutionalized in the early 1970s.Īyers was forced to return to his family home in Cleveland, where he underwent a number of treatments over the years, including controversial electric shock therapy.Īfter his mother died in 2000, he moved to Los Angeles in search of his father, but Ayers ended up living on the streets of Skid Row where he could often be found playing the violin or double bass because he loved the music. Nathaniel Anthony Ayers was on the verge of becoming one of the best musicians in the US when his world was turned upside down.Ī music prodigy, he first started playing the double bass aged 13 before he was awarded a full-ride scholarship to the distinguished Juilliard School where he turned his hand to several instruments. Nathaniel Anthony Ayers is a musical prodigy who was on the verge of becoming one of the best in the US when his world was turned upside down in the early 1970s after he was diagnosed with schizophrenia (pictured above in Long Beach in 2016) Now, 10 years later, his sister gives an update on her talented brother.Those columns were made into a book, which was adapted into the movie.He moved to Los Angeles in 2000 and was homeless in Skid Row when he met a columnist who then began to write articles about him in 2005.Ayers was diagnosed with schizophrenia and had electric shock therapy treatment when he returned home to Cleveland.He was awarded a full scholarship to The Juilliard School in the 1970s but had to leave during his third year when he suffered a mental breakdown.The 65-year-old is a musical prodigy who can play the double bass, violin, trumpet, guitar, cello, piano, drums and more.The life of Nathaniel Anthony Ayers, 65, is the true story behind the 2009 film, The Soloist, staring Jamie Foxx and Robert Downey Jr.Ten years after Hollywood made a movie about him, the life of tormented Juilliard music prodigy - whose tragic story and incredible talent inspired Jamie Foxx film The Soloist - has hit a positive new note
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