Drew Lynch came on America’s Got Talent this year and wowed the judges, especially Howie Mendel. Lynch’s stutter was the result of a sports injury, and he found stand-up comedy as a way to cope with his frustrations.

One of the most powerful moments for me was when Lynch was talking to the camera before the show, and he said, “The person I was before would probably never hang out with who I am today. I thought people were lucky if they got to talk to me, and, uh, I was a jerk.” 

After a painful moment of self-reflection, Lynch explained why he does what he does: “I feel a lot of responsibility to show people that you can turn anything into a positive.”

If his story and his supportive girlfriend weren’t enough to get the waterworks going, just wait until the very end of the video.