Stevie Wonder Explains In-Depth How He Lost His Sight

Jun 01, 2021 by apost team

Stevie Wonder is one of the preeminent musicians of the 1970s and beyond. But even before his success began back then, he was a musical prodigy in his youth. When he was 11 years old, his early music was heard by Ronnie White of The Miracles, who liked what he heard and took him to the local recording company, where he landed his first record deal. By 13, Wonder had his first number one hit, "Fingertips," and he became the youngest artist to ever top the Billboard Hot 100 charts.

This impressive start in his early years set the tone for Wonder's award-winning career. At 27 years old, he won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year three consecutive albums in a row, tying with the legendary Frank Sinatra. Then, in his 30s, he won an Oscar for Best Original Song for the romantic comedy film "The Woman in Red" in 1985. This made Wonder the first Motown artist and only the second African American artist ever to receive the award. How's that for a career highlight?

Wonder has had various incredible achievements in his long career and is a testament to the fact that one can achieve great things despite having a disability. He rightfully earned his spot in both the Rhythm and Blues Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and he also has a well-earned star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. 

Many people probably know that Wonder is blind, but not everyone is aware of how he lost his sight. In a 2004 interview with Oprah Winfrey, Wonder revealed the reason why he can't see; it stems from being born prematurely and receiving too much oxygen at birth. Despite losing his sight, things could have turned out much worse.

Born Steveland Hardaway Judkins in Saginaw, Michigan, on May 13, 1950, Stevie Wonder would go on to become an incredibly talented musician and star, but he was mired in health complications during his early years. Born six weeks prematurely, Wonder was put in an incubator at the hospital and given oxygen. The combination of being born so early and being given too much oxygen led to a condition named retinopathy of prematurity, which results in the eyes not developing, causing the retinas to detach and ultimately leading to blindness.

In a personal interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2004, Wonder opened up about this experience. After Winfrey asked, "Weren't you put in an incubator and given too much oxygen?" Wonder replied:

"Right — I was premature. My doctor didn't know what's known now about the right amount of oxygen, so I was given too much and an area of my eyes was destroyed."

Despite the tragic occurrence, things could have been worse. He added,

"A girl who was born one minute before me actually died. She couldn't withstand that much oxygen."

Winfrey questioned whether he ever felt bitter about the doctor's mistake to which Wonder replied:

"No. Once when I went to Saginaw, Michigan, and visited the hospital where I was born, there was this big hoopla — they gave me a special award. I think people were scared I was planning to sue that doctor's ass. But he didn't have any intent to harm me."

Wonder's sensitivity and understanding of the situation are truly admirable. He would be well within his rights to feel bitter and upset with the doctor's negligence, but instead, he's chosen to focus on the positives in life, and that's surely helped him get ahead.

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In the same interview with Winfrey, Wonder spoke of his childhood and the circumstances of his early life. Asked if he could go back and change being blind, he said he wouldn't, adding, "I don't regret what happened because it made me who I am. But I'd love to see."

He also developed an incredibly close bond with his mother, Lula Mae Hardaway. Winfrey asked if he'd said to his mother when he was 5 years old, "Don't worry about me being blind, because I'm happy." Wonder admitted it was "something like that," explaining:

"It bothered me that my mother was crying all the time. She thought God might be punishing her for something. She lived during a time when things were particularly difficult for a woman in her circumstances."

He mentions that he used to say that if anything were to happen to his mother that he'd want to die with her because he loved her so much. However, he realized he wants to live so that he "can carry out the essence of what she has shown (him): kindness and goodness." He reveals the biggest lessons she passed onto him were:

"To persevere. To never be ashamed. To not let my past bury me."

His circumstances made him "more curious," and no doubt the lessons that his mother imparted on him built up his belief in himself and became the foundation of his overall success. Now, Wonder is an inspiration to people the world over, as he continues to pass on his mother's message of kindness and goodness.

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