The 26-year old barista from Illinois appeared on Wednesday's tryout episode of the national singing competition, and brought with him his girlfriend, Juliana Ramos. She was there for a different kind of inspiration: two weeks before they were to marry, Ramos was in a car accident, leaving her with brain damage.
Now Ramos' caretaker, Medina tried out for the show, bringing Ramos along and introducing her to judges Randy Jackson, Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler. Did he make the cut? Watch below.
Some fans and pundits have expressed support for Medina, while others think that his motives and actions were exploitative.