Diego Frazão Torquato, also known as Diego do Violino and The Boy who moved the World to Tears[1] (1997 – Duque de Caxias, 1 April 2010), was a Brazilian violinist who became famous for a photograph in which he is shown playing a violin at his teacher's funeral. The newspaper O Globo called the image "one of the most moving in recent times".[2] Torquato was part of the AfroReggae String Orchestra,[3] and the image subsequently "became a symbol of hope" for the fight against leukemia and gained the group popularity.[4][5]
Diego Frazão Torquato | |
|---|---|
 The 2009 photograph of him playing at his teacher's funeral | |
| Background information | |
| Also known as | Diego do Violino |
| Born | 1997 |
| Died | 1 April 2010 Duque de Caxias, Rio de Janeiro |
| Instrument | Violin |
| Years active | ~2000-2010 |
| Formerly of | AfroReggae String Orchestra |
Life
editTorquato was born in 1997. From a young age, Diego lived with illnesses, such as meningitis, but retained an interest in music. Torquato participated in the AfroRaggae String Orchestra Group's workshops in Parada de Lucas and became a notable of the group, which worked to combat the entry of young people into drug trafficking.[4] In December 2009, he participated in Rede Globo's end-of-year anti-trafficking campaign. He was nominated in 2010 for the Faz Diferença Award from the newspaper O Globo.[2]
Illnesses and death
editTorquato was subjected to a 24-day hospitalization, after he suffered a generalized infection, which was contracted after appendix surgery.[6] He depended on the help of blood-regulation devices to retain a stable blood pressure, but went into cardiorespiratory arrest. During this period, he was also admitted to Saracuruna Hospital with acute leukemia,[7] but was unable to undergo chemotherapy due to the risk of the procedure. Shortly afterwards he died as a result of the arrest.[7]
See also
edit- Hair Like Mine, another famous photograph taken the same year
- List of photographs considered the most important
References
edit- ^ "Pic of the week: the boy who moved a world to tears". SlippeDisc.
- ^ a b O Globo. (1 de abril de 2010). Morre o menino Diego Frazão, violinista do AfroReggae, acesso em 12 de maio de 2010
- ^ "O DIA ONLINE - RIO - Morre violinista do AfroReggae". web.archive.org. 2010-04-06. Retrieved 2021-07-05.
- ^ a b Jornal Nacional. (2 de abril de 2010). Corpo de violinista do Afroreggae é enterrado, acesso em 12 de maio de 2010
- ^ "Diego do Violino está com leucemia, diz coordenador do AfroReggae". Extra Online (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2021-07-05.
- ^ O Dia. (1 de abril de 2010). Morre violinista do AfroReggae Archived 2010-04-06 at the Wayback Machine, acesso em 12 de maio de 2010
- ^ a b Jornal Extra. (1 de abril de 2010). Diego do Violino está com leucemia, diz coordenador do AfroReggae, acesso em 12 de maio de 2010