Andrea Bocelli Reflects On And Remembers the Accident That Left Him Blind
Andrea Bocelli’s journey to becoming one of the world’s most beloved tenors is nothing short of extraordinary. His rich, emotive voice has captivated audiences worldwide, but his path was marked by challenges that tested his resilience and determination. In the new documentary Andrea Bocelli: Because I Believe, which premiered at TIFF on September 7, Bocelli provided details of the accident that changed his life forever.
Bocelli’s rise as a tenor
Andrea Bocelli is celebrated globally as one of the finest tenors of his generation. His journey into the world of music began at a young age when he displayed a natural talent for singing. As he grew up, his passion for music only grew stronger, and he dedicated himself to mastering the art of opera. With a career spanning more than 30 years, his success has been marked by his ability to convey deep emotion and connect with audiences on a personal level.
He struggled with glaucoma during his childhood
Bocelli was born with congenital glaucoma, a condition that severely affected his vision from birth. However, at this point in his life, he was still able to see. “As a child, I was considered extremely short-sighted. I could see everything but only from up close,” he explained in the documentary. “I remember extremely well the world I saw. Colors, everything. How could I forget those memories?” His brother, Alberto, also explained these early struggles, saying, “My brother Andrea, aged 3½, due to congenital glaucoma, had been operated on 13 times in Turin. It was torture.” Unfortunately, despite the repeated surgeries, Bocelli’s eyesight remained extremely impaired.
Being sent to a boarding school
By the time he was seven years old, Bocelli was sent to a boarding school for the visually impaired, as no local schools were willing to accommodate him. As his brother recalled, “He would come home only in the holidays. We’d go visit him once a month.” Sadly, it would be at boarding school that Bocelli would suffer the accident that changed everything, the moment he calls “the worst moment” in his life.
The soccer incident that changed everything
At the age of 12, Bocelli’s life took a dramatic turn when a soccer accident left him permanently blind. He explained how, “One day, playing [soccer], I was the goalkeeper. No idea why, as I had never been the goalie before. And I never would be goalie again. A ball hit me right in the face. From that blow, a hemorrhage… and the rest is history.” His brother added, “That’s when he lost. That’s when darkness fell.”
Lessons from his mother
This devastating incident was a pivotal moment in Bocelli’s life, one that could have shattered his spirit. However, instead of succumbing to despair, he turned to his music, using it as a means to express his inner world and connect with others. Additionally, his mother instilled in him strong values of resilience and courage. In an older interview, she explained that she never subscribed to the narrative of the “poor boy” after her son lost his sight, and neither did he. “Above all, Andrea never accepted any form of pity. He’d say, ‘What’s the point of pity?’ We’ve raised him on these principles. With courage. With a lot of courage,” she explained. Bocelli echoed this, saying, “My mother feared I wouldn’t be able to fend for myself. She worked really hard to provide me with tranquility and stability.”
The soccer accident that left Andrea Bocelli permanently blind was a defining moment that could have ended his dreams before they truly began. However, rather than allowing this tragedy to consume him, he used it as a turning point to channel his energy into his music. His ability to rise above this profound loss and still achieve greatness speaks to his incredible character as a deserved success.
