A man who suffered concussion¹ after diving into a shallow pool has made a seemingly improbable discovery: it made him a musical genius.

美国一名男子在一个较浅的游泳池跳水导致脑震荡，之后却意外发现这起事故使他成为了音乐天才。

Famous fan: Matt Lauer quizzed Amato about his bizarre experiences on the Today Show
Derek Amato, from Denver, Colorado, is just one of 30 people in the entire world suffering from Acquired Savant Syndrome², where people display profound abilities after suffering head trauma³.

After years of failed jobs and homelessness, the 40-year-old is now enjoying a career in music and can play eight instruments - despite never having a lesson in his life.

He has now recounted the startling（令人吃惊的） moment he felt drawn⁴ to a friend's piano after the October 2006 accident and immediately began playing.

'It was one of those moments when you just knew,' he told Matt Lauer on the Today show. 'It was just drawing me to it.'

Amato, who can not read music, explained that he knew what to play as he could see black and white squares in his head that triggered his fingers to move.

'That's my notation⁵（符号，乐谱） ,' he said. 'When those black and white squares are going, that's what my hands do. I'm convinced it's all for a reason and it's my job to do it right.'

Amato, who is recording⁶ his second album, plays eight instruments he could not play before, as well as brushing up on his guitar skills, which he described as being a '2.5 out of 10' before the accident.

In October 2006, he was partying with friends when he jumped into the pool and hit his head. 'I remember the panic set in that I knew I hurt myself,' he said. 'I knew it was something bad.'

In a post for the Wisconsin Medical Society, he added: 'As I dove into the swimming pool, I remember coming up out of the water complaining that my ears were bleeding.'

'As I looked to my friends for explanation, I recall their lips moving but without sound. As I touched my ears to check for bleeding, I realised there was no blood, and I couldn't hear anything at all.'

After collapsing⁷, Amato was rushed to hospital and diagnosed with a serious concussion（冲击，震荡） . Doctors also found he had a permanent 35 percent loss of hearing, as well as memory loss.

But, Amato told the Today show, this is a small price to pay for what he can do now. 'The headaches and the loss of hearing are the price tag for this gift,' he said. 'I'd like it to stay.'