Carlos Whittaker, a motivational speaker and author, filmed Tonee “Valentine” Carter playing piano at an airport. Little did Carter know that he would raise over $60,000 in donations in just two days.
With his kidneys functioning at just 10%, Carter started to give up his nights of music for dialysis. For 13 years, he has performed at the airport, navigating his illness while keeping music lovers enamored with the piano.
“He’s just so happy and joyful,” Whittaker told The Post. “He kind of has this smile that he does when he plays where his mouth is halfway open like he’s laughing. It’s just his energy is very impactful.”
Carter told CNN that Whittaker and his followers — deemed the “Instafamilia” — had him “crying for days, not because of the total, but because of the individual donations.” Thousands of people were donating what they could afford, which signaled to him that they were also drawn to his music and passion for brightening people’s days.
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