Andrea Bocelli Opens Up About the Soccer Accident That Left Him Blind in New Documentary ‘Because I Believe’
The documentary 'Andrea Bocelli: Because I Believe' premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. In the film, Bocelli revealed that a childhood soccer accident left him visually impaired after he was diagnosed with glaucoma. He recalled being extremely short-sighted as a child and losing his vision completely after a ball hit him in the face during a game.
Reverred singer Andrea Bocelli has recalled a soccer accident that ledt him visually imapired, reported People. The documenatry Andrea Bocelli: Because I Believe, which revolves around his life premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. The Italian tenor shared opened up on how a soccer accident as a young boy left him blind after he was living with glaucoma. "As a child, I was considered extremely short-sighted. I could see everything but only from up close," said the veteran singer in a documenatry. I Am Celine Dion Trailer: Singer’s Documentary Captures Her Success and Health Struggle, Film To Release on Amazon Prime on June 25 (Watch Video).
He added, "I remember extremely well the world I saw. Colours, everything. How could I forget those memories?"
Andrea's brother Alberto also spoke about his journey.
"My brother Andrea, aged 3 1/2 , due to congenital glaucoma, had been operated on 13 times in Turin," he shared, adding, "It was torture."
Alberto shared that by the age 7,the singer was sent to a boarding scool that is especailly for a visually impaired as no local school was ready to take him.
"He would come home only in the holidays. We'd go visit him once a month," he said. Andrea shared that this was the "worst" moments of his life.
The things becaome worst as at the age of 12, he had a tragic incident in the school that left him completely blind.
At age 12, the singer had an incident in boarding school that left him permanently blind. "One day, playing soccer, I was the goalkeeper. No idea why, as I had never been the goalie before," he saida, adding, "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." ‘Blake Edwards - A Love Story in 24 Frames’ Review: Touching Documentary on Legendary Director Gets Thumbs Up From Critics!.
Alberto added, "That's when he lost. That's when darkness fell."
'Andrea Bocelli: Because I Believe' is directed by Cosima Spender. According to the description of the documenatry, "tracks Bocelli's path to success and ongoing dedication to his craft through interviews and archival performance footage, as well as informal gatherings," reported People.