Stevie Marvel misplaced his sight shortly after beginning when he was born six weeks prematurely in Could 1950 with retinopathy of prematurity, an eye dysfunction brought on by irregular blood vessels all through the retina. “Receiving an excessive amount of oxygen within the incubator doubtless worsened the situation for the tiny child, leaving [Wonder] blind,” one outlet reported. But some fellow celebrities recommend the Saginaw, Mich. native isn’t fairly as blind as he lets on.
Listed below are a couple of tales — some tall, some kinda believable — which might be making us rethink all the pieces we’ve ever identified in regards to the soul legend.
Shaquille O’Neal
Throughout an episode of “Contained in the NBA” in December 2019, O’Neal shared the story of when he bumped into Marvel on an elevator in a Los Angeles constructing they have been staying in. He recalled how Marvel turned to greet him, pressed his ground quantity, and walked out of the elevator to his unit… alone.
“I went and known as each individual I knew and informed them this story. They usually believed me,” O’Neal mentioned.
Anthony Anderson
Again in September 2016, Anderson appeared on “The Late Present With Stephen Colbert” the place he was requested if he “challenged Stevie Marvel to a basketball sport?”
“What you all don’t know is Stevie can see,” Anderson replied. “It’s simply an act. … Sure, I did problem him to a sport of one-on-one basketball for a charity occasion he does for his son for intercity youth. He mentioned, ‘Anthony, I don’t need to embarrass you one-on-one, so let’s simply do it free throws and he received…. Stevie Marvel received.”
Lionel Richie
“I’m going to let you know one thing,” Lionel Richie mentioned of Marvel on “The Kelly Clarkson Present” in December 2019. “I’ve been spending my entire life with him pondering he can see. I do know he can see.” He started to inform the funniest story of when he “went to his [Wonder’s] home. He says, ‘Wanna hear a brand new music? I’ve bought it within the automobile. C’mon, go along with me.’ ”
In accordance with Richie, Marvel informed him to “sit on the passenger facet [and] I’ll sit on the motive force’s facet” earlier than Marvel “cranks the automobile up and places the tape in. After which he does this [turns around] and begins driving again down the driveway. And I screamed, ‘Stevie! What are you doing?’ And he mentioned, ‘Ah, bought you, didn’t I?’”
Carmelo Anthony
Throughout a podcast episode of “7PM in Brooklyn,” Carmelo Anthony recalled assembly Marvel for the primary time through the 2011 NBA All-Star Sport in Los Angeles. Whereas making his approach across the locker room, Marvel, based on the previous New York Knicks’ baller, approached him and mentioned, “I like watching you play.”
Johnny Gill
Now, Johnny Gill is sharing his personal expertise with Marvel that had him questioning his blindness. Gill appeared on Shawn Stockman’s “On That Word” podcast the place he known as Marvel “the grasp of air hockey.”
“That man beat all three of us, whipped our ass in air hockey,” the singer remembered, referring to himself, Keith Sweat, and Gerald Levert, who made up R&B group LSG. “I’ll always remember,” he added. When one of many hosts famous how air hockey is a “visible sport,” Gill couldn’t assist however agree.
“I informed Keith, I used to be like, ‘Yo, man, we will’t inform no person this sh*t. I swear to God, he beat all three of us. And I mentioned, ‘I don’t care what you say, motherf****r, you possibly can see,’” Gill joked. He even complimented Marvel’s fast reflexes. “He was growth, growth, and serve it proper again and I’m going, ‘Yo, man. There’s no approach, man’. … I informed Keith within the promise we’d by no means inform no person.”
Stevie Marvel himself…?!
Regardless of the quite a few tales through the years from his well-known pals, Marvel himself mentioned again in February 2017 that he would inform the reality about his sight whereas talking with “TMZ” at LAX. When requested if him and his household would seem in a actuality TV present, Marvel declined as a result of it’d be “too invasive.”
He joked how he may make some huge cash, sufficient to even “purchase a couple of planes. Perhaps fly them?” earlier than admitting he flew a aircraft earlier than… twice, and landed it. “This yr, I’ll reveal the reality,” he declared when requested if he’d ever confess the sincere standing of his sight. Contemplating the proclamation was mentioned eight years in the past, and there’s been no official phrase but, the world could by no means really know.