Rumors questioning Stevie Wonder’s blindness have persisted for decades, fueled by celebrity anecdotes and viral speculation. Recently, during a heartfelt moment on stage in Cardiff, the legendary musician finally decided to respond.
In front of a live audience, he clarified the truth about his condition and shared a personal story that sheds light on how he views the world.
Stevie Wonder Opens Up About His Childhood Condition
While performing in Cardiff during his Love, Light and Song tour, Stevie Wonder took a pause to directly address the speculation. In a video posted by Cardiff Life, he began by saying,
“I must say to all of you, something that I was thinking, ‘When did I want to let the world know this?’ But I wanted to say it right now.”
He then turned to the rumors themselves:
“You know there have been rumors about me seeing and all that? But seriously, you know the truth.”
Wonder went on to explain that he lost his vision not at birth, but weeks later due to retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), a condition affecting premature babies exposed to high oxygen levels in incubators.
He continued,
“Truth is, shortly after my birth, I became blind. Now, that was a blessing because it’s allowed me to see the world in the vision of truth, of sight.”
Celebrity Story Sparked the Ongoing Rumor
The speculation surrounding Wonder’s vision gained traction years ago after an anecdote shared by NBA star Shaquille O’Neal. According to him, they lived in the same apartment building in Los Angeles. One day, as O’Neal stood in the elevator, Wonder walked in, greeted him, and appeared to recognize him without assistance.
O’Neal recalled,
“He comes in, says ‘what’s up Shaq.’ Presses the button, it’s a true story, presses the button, gets off on his floor by himself, goes to his room.”
He added,
“I went and called every person I knew and told the story. They didn’t believe me.”
Stories like this helped fuel public doubt, but Wonder’s recent remarks leave little room for misinterpretation. The artist’s calm, sincere response finally puts the matter to rest.
In his own words, he reframed what many see as a limitation into a powerful part of his identity. Rather than deny the stories, he chose to affirm the deeper truth behind his experience—how it shaped his vision of people and the world around him.