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'From That Blow, a Hemorrhage...': Andrea Bocelli Reflects on Soccer Accident That Led to Blindness
Andrea Bocelli, an Italian tenor, talks about a soccer accident at the age of 12 that left him completely blind after being diagnosed with congenital glaucoma.
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Andrea Bocelli reflects on the soccer accident at age 12 that left him permanently blind
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The accident occurred while he was playing as a goalkeeper, a position he had never played before
Andrea Bocelli, the world-renowned Italian tenor, speaks out about the life-altering soccer accident that caused his blindness as per PEOPLE.
In his latest documentary, Andrea Bocelli: Because I Believe, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on Saturday, September 7, Bocelli shared how an incident during a soccer game at the age of 12 left him blind. Before the accident, Bocelli had vision impairment due to congenital glaucoma.
Andrea Bocelli has struggled with vision since a young age. At 3½ years old, he was diagnosed with congenital glaucoma and underwent several surgeries to improve his vision. In the documentary, Alberto Bocelli revealed that his brother Andrea, who had congenital glaucoma, had been operated on 13 times in Turin. Despite these efforts, his vision remained severely limited.
He said that as a child, he was regarded as extremely short-sighted. Andrea explained in the film that he could see everything but only up close. He vividly recalls the world he saw back then, including the colors and details. "How could I forget those memories?" he said.
Andrea was sent to a visually impaired boarding school when he was seven years old because no local schools would accept him. His brother Alberto said that he would only come home for the holidays and they would go see him once a month. Andrea found it difficult to be away from home, calling it the worst moment of his life.
Andrea's pivotal moment occurred when he was 12 years old and attending boarding school. One day, during a soccer game, he was asked to play goalkeeper. Despite having never played the position before, Andrea accepted the challenge. "One day, playing [soccer], I was the goalkeeper. No idea why, as I had never been the goalie before," he said in the documentary.
During the game the ball hit Andrea in the face, resulting in a severe hemorrhage. "A ball hit me right in the face. From that blow, a hemorrhage.. and the rest is history," he said. The injury rendered him permanently blind. His brother, Alberto, added, "That's when he lost. That's when darkness fell."
Bocelli's family is featured prominently in the documentary, which focuses on how he dealt with his blindness. In an earlier interview featured in the film, his mother explained how she never allowed her family to feel sorry for Andrea after the accident.
She said that above all, Andrea never accepted pity. He would say, "What's the point of pity?" His mother said that they raised him on these principles and with a lot of courage.
Andrea Bocelli: Because I Believe, directed by Cosima Spender, explores the legendary tenor's life and career. The documentary not only delves into his personal struggles but also follows his meteoric rise to global stardom.
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