Nathaniel Anthony Ayers

7/31/2019 Nathaniel Anthony Ayers

1/14

Nathaniel

AnthonyAyers

An amazing

musician

possessing the

pinnacle of human

gift, cursed by

mental illness


2/14

Nathaniel ran

over to his uncle

Howard and aunt

Willas house on

East 111th because

they lived acrossthe street from a

park (150).

Nathaniel played football with neighborhood kids and

chipped golf balls with Uncle Howard If there was nothing

doing in the park, Nathaniel scooted over to the lake togaze at the steaming tankers, check out the activity on the

docks or chuck stones into the lapping surf (150-51).as the boy became the young man, he noticed that his stepsisters were suddenly showing

more interest in him. Nathaniel began impeccably grooming himself before setting foot

outside the house, and the stepsisters cooed as he worked the mirror, and them He was

cute and smart (153).


3/14

When his mother bought him a used

bass, Nathaniel began passing up ball

games in the street and in the schoolyard

so he could practice (156).

If he kept at it, Barnofftold him, a music scholarship to

Ohio University wasnt out of the question. Maybe,

Nathaniel told him. But he had even bigger dreams than

that. Hadnt Mr. Barnoff been to Juilliard? (159).

Halfway through his freshman year at Ohio U., he flew to

Juilliard for an audition. Next thing I knew, Barnoff says, his

voice breaking, he got a scholarship(20).


4/14

His clothes didnt match. His

hair was messy. He was

zealous, jumpy, provocative.

Jennifer remembers how

uncomfortable he made her

with his nervous energy andawkward conversation. It was

obvious to everyone who

knew him well that something

was different (246).

He was a very angry blackman, and very anti-white

(246).

Nathaniel took to drawing on the walls and ceiling of

their apartment (246-47).

No one seemed to realize that the promising young

student from Cleveland was losing his mind (248).


5/14

It began with a

distant look in

his eyes, and the

next thing

Spurlock knew,Nathaniel began

stripping off his

clothes. His

alarmed hosts

called for help,

and Nathaniel

was taken to

Bellevue

Hospitals

psychiatric

emergency

room. He was

diagnosed with

schizophrenia

and calmed with

heavy doses of

Thorazine(249).

Date of

complete

withdrawal,

Oct. 6, 1972,

says an entry

in his file.Reason:

Program too

demanding

at present(249).


6/14

Nathaniel

AnthonyAyers

Please meet


7/14

Nathaniel:Artisti

c

Talente

d Polite

Charming

Eloquent

Outgoing

Kind

Talkative

Clever

Helpful Intelligent


8/14

Anthony:

At his core, N. Anthony A. is sane and calm, a pleasant person who mightve

led an extraordinarily successful life if not for his unfortunate illness.


9/14

Ayers:Due to his mental illness, N. A. Ayers seemed an unpredictable,

unstable, and unreadable man, his true character masked by his

peculiar actions. His appearance confused many people, and those

people did not understand how he associated certain cues with such

abnormal reactions.

His mind worked in unexplainable ways, the same way

that, for example, certain people cannot combine

linear and creative thought people who can do not

understand this.


10/14

How would you act

toward a mentally illperson?


11/14

Would you treat them

As a child?

As a pet?

As an adult?

What kind of respect would they deserve?


12/14

These questions relate to me because I often think that adults

do not respect kids enough it seems that adults probably

struggle with how to treat mentally ill people the same way

they struggle with how to treat teens and children. What

level of respect does a mentally ill persons level of

functionality deserve?


13/14

The life of Nathaniel Anthony Ayers provides what

many of us need a new way of looking at how we

think.

After living on the streets for many years, Nathaniel

eventually recovered to a mostly stable situation, and

currently lives indoors in an apartment. His sister

founded the Nathaniel Anthony Ayers Foundation for

musicians with mental illnesses.

A valuable lesson.


14/14

Sources:

The Soloistby Steve Lopez

http://www.piedmontpiano.com/Webpages/MusicSchoolprograms/teacherdetails/celloteach.html

http://www.agefotostock.com/en/Stock-Images/Royalty-Free/FOT-577011

http://log.donnie.se/?tag=usa&paged=3

http://www.digitalsheetplus.com/pages.php?pageid=35 http://www.proprofs.com/flashcards/cardshowall.php?title=instruments--

orchestra_2

http://www.thesirenssound.com/2009/03/29/hildur-gudnadottir-without-sinking/

http://www.businessweek.com/careers/managementiq/archives/2007/08

/the_writing_is_on_the_wall.html http://www.cobbsheriff.org/detention/jailhistory.htm

http://www.gndesigns.net/portfolio/insanity.php

http://lyricsdog.eu/s/cello%20double%20bass
http://www.piedmontpiano.com/Webpages/MusicSchoolprograms/teacherdetails/celloteach.htmlhttp://www.piedmontpiano.com/Webpages/MusicSchoolprograms/teacherdetails/celloteach.htmlhttp://www.agefotostock.com/en/Stock-Images/Royalty-Free/FOT-577011http://log.donnie.se/?tag=usa&paged=3http://www.digitalsheetplus.com/pages.php?pageid=35http://www.proprofs.com/flashcards/cardshowall.php?title=instruments--orchestra_2http://www.proprofs.com/flashcards/cardshowall.php?title=instruments--orchestra_2http://www.thesirenssound.com/2009/03/29/hildur-gudnadottir-without-sinking/http://www.thesirenssound.com/2009/03/29/hildur-gudnadottir-without-sinking/http://www.businessweek.com/careers/managementiq/archives/2007/08/the_writing_is_on_the_wall.htmlhttp://www.businessweek.com/careers/managementiq/archives/2007/08/the_writing_is_on_the_wall.htmlhttp://www.cobbsheriff.org/detention/jailhistory.htmhttp://www.gndesigns.net/portfolio/insanity.phphttp://lyricsdog.eu/s/cello%20double%20basshttp://lyricsdog.eu/s/cello%20double%20basshttp://www.gndesigns.net/portfolio/insanity.phphttp://www.cobbsheriff.org/detention/jailhistory.htmhttp://www.businessweek.com/careers/managementiq/archives/2007/08/the_writing_is_on_the_wall.htmlhttp://www.businessweek.com/careers/managementiq/archives/2007/08/the_writing_is_on_the_wall.htmlhttp://www.thesirenssound.com/2009/03/29/hildur-gudnadottir-without-sinking/http://www.thesirenssound.com/2009/03/29/hildur-gudnadottir-without-sinking/http://www.thesirenssound.com/2009/03/29/hildur-gudnadottir-without-sinking/http://www.thesirenssound.com/2009/03/29/hildur-gudnadottir-without-sinking/http://www.thesirenssound.com/2009/03/29/hildur-gudnadottir-without-sinking/http://www.thesirenssound.com/2009/03/29/hildur-gudnadottir-without-sinking/http://www.thesirenssound.com/2009/03/29/hildur-gudnadottir-without-sinking/http://www.proprofs.com/flashcards/cardshowall.php?title=instruments--orchestra_2http://www.proprofs.com/flashcards/cardshowall.php?title=instruments--orchestra_2http://www.proprofs.com/flashcards/cardshowall.php?title=instruments--orchestra_2http://www.digitalsheetplus.com/pages.php?pageid=35http://log.donnie.se/?tag=usa&paged=3http://www.agefotostock.com/en/Stock-Images/Royalty-Free/FOT-577011http://www.agefotostock.com/en/Stock-Images/Royalty-Free/FOT-577011http://www.agefotostock.com/en/Stock-Images/Royalty-Free/FOT-577011http://www.agefotostock.com/en/Stock-Images/Royalty-Free/FOT-577011http://www.agefotostock.com/en/Stock-Images/Royalty-Free/FOT-577011http://www.agefotostock.com/en/Stock-Images/Royalty-Free/FOT-577011http://www.agefotostock.com/en/Stock-Images/Royalty-Free/FOT-577011http://www.piedmontpiano.com/Webpages/MusicSchoolprograms/teacherdetails/celloteach.htmlhttp://www.piedmontpiano.com/Webpages/MusicSchoolprograms/teacherdetails/celloteach.html

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Nathaniel Anthony Ayers