Homeless Piano Player From Viral Video Finally Reconnects With His Son After 15 Years

Homeless Piano Player From Viral Video Finally Reconnects With His Son After 15 Years

Thanks to the immense popularity of a video featuring his incredible piano playing, a homeless man has reconnected with his long-lost son.

After a clip of Donald Gould, a homeless man from Sarasota, Florida, playing a cover of Styx's "Come Sail Away" on a public piano went viral last week, the 51-year-old hoped that his son, Donny, would see the video, WFLA reported.

Due to his struggle with substance abuse, Gould lost custody of Donny when the child was 3 years old. But thanks to the work of local TV stations WFLA and WOOD, Gould and his son, who's now 18 years old and living in Michigan, chatted over FaceTime last Tuesday. It was the first time the pair had seen one another in about 15 years.

"How are you doing son? I'm so happy to see you," an emotional Gould said to Donny, whose last name has been kept private, choking up during the video call, according to WFLA.

Donny's adoptive parents saw the video of the musician and reached to their local TV station WOOD in hopes of reconnecting the pair, the outlet reported. WOOD contacted WFLA, its sister station in Florida, and coordinated a video call between the two. During the call, a clean-shaven Gould, who received a makeover after the video was posted, had a chance to catch up with his son, who recently graduated from high school.

“I missed your whole childhood, you know, and I apologize for that, son,” Gould said, according to WOOD.

The talk was an emotional experience for both, and Gould says he credits music for making it possible.

“Music took me around the world before I was 21 and somehow, my music now has gotten me back together with my son,” he said.

Gould hopes that one day, he will be able to see his son in person, but for now, he's working on getting clean. On Wednesday, the 51-year-old entered rehab, Jacqueline Bevan, who created a GoFundMe campaign to help Gould, told The Huffington Post in a message.

To learn more about Donald Gould or to donate, visit the GoFundMe campaign created for him here.

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