Mom says boy with autism finds his voice with Lil Nas X, Billy Ray Cyrus' 'Old Town Road'

HOUSTON – The song “Old Town Road” is making a big difference for a little boy with autism. 

Sheletta Brundidge, former Houstonian and podcast host of “Two Haute Mamas” explained on Twitter that her 4-year-old son, Daniel, began humming the tune to the Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus hit song. It’s a miracle, she says, because he has autism and doesn't talk. Brundidge noted in her tweet that Daniel eventually started singing the song and his therapists are using it in his sessions. 

Daniel, Brundidge’s youngest child, was born in Houston prior to the family’s move to Minnesota. Brundidge has four children, three of whom who have been diagnosed with autism. Brundridge's older children are fully verbal.

"It's such a breakthrough," Brundridge told USA Today. "It took us six months for us to teach him the letter 'A.' Without any teaching, he was able to listen to it, absorb it, memorize it and then recall it." 

Since the tweet went viral, both Billy Ray Cyrus and Lil Nas X have acknowledged the Brundidge’s story. Cyrus retweeted Brundidge’s tweet and the Lil Nas X shared the post with the comment “what a king.”