Derek Amato says his whole life changed the day he dived into a swimming pool's shallow end.
On that afternoon in October 2006, Amato suffered a serious concussion that reportedly cost him 35 percent of his hearing and some of his memory. But he gained an extraordinary musical talent. Amato discovered that he could suddenly play piano -- and he could do it well.
Doctors diagnosed him with "acquired savant syndrome" -- a condition where a mental impairment results in extraordinary skills, according to Popular Science.
And so, the 39-year-old sales trainer from Denver decided to drastically change his life and became a professional pianist.
"I decided I would never ever again spend my lifetime chasing money," he said in the TEDx talk he gave this past August. "At that very moment, my purpose became extremely clear... I believe we are here for two purposes, to serve and to love."
But what if his skill suddenly went away?
Seven years later, Amato answered that question in an interview with HuffPost Live. Remarkably, he's not afraid of losing his musical abilities. He's aware that his talent could all disappear at any moment, but he's not intimidated.
"I've had seven years [with this syndrome]. Not too many people get to see this much life in seven years. I've been pretty lucky," he tells HuffPost Live. "Hey, if it goes away, I've had seven beautiful years to enjoy it."
Watch Amato's TEDx talk below:
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