On tonight's American Idol, a 26-year-old Illinois man named Chris Medina auditioned before the judges. Accompanying Medina was his severely brain-damaged fiancée, Julia Ramos, who—post-audition—also met the judges. Ladies and gentlemen, this season's story to follow has arrived.

As you'l learn from the video, Ramos was left with a debilitating brain injury following a car accident in 2009 just two weeks before she and Medina were to marry. Ramos was in a coma for six weeks following her accident—at first, doctors doubted the chances of her survival—and Medina now serves as her caretaker (in addition to, still, her fiancée).

While most of those watching tonight's episode fought back tears during Medina's segment, others have questioned the necessity for Ramos to appear with him in front of the judges—especially when considering Medina's standalone singing ability—and wondered whether it was exploitative. (I am in the "This nearly made me cry" group, for the record.)

Whichever way you cut it, though, one thing's for sure: we'll definitely be seeing more of Medina as the season goes on.

[American Idol]