Mr Music – Emmanuel Marie – is back in Seychelles, admitted at Seychelles Hospital |10 October 2019

Emmanuel (in wheelchair) before leaving Manila for Seychelles

Emmanuel Marie, one of Seychelles’ top one-man band musician who has gone partially blind in both eyes, arrived in Seychelles over the past weekend and was whisked straight away to the Seychelles Hospital for further medical treatment.

After being treated at the University of Santo Tomas Hospital in Manila, Philippines, Emmanuel and his Filipino wife Bridz arrived on Saturday from Manila.

He will still need some medical attention, which has been arranged by the Ministry of Health and the Health Care Agency.

John Gappy, a former Seychellois Catholic priest who now resides in the Philippines with his family, was very instrumental in organising and making arrangements for Emmanuel’s return to Seychelles.

Mr Gappy was in direct contact with Health Minister Jean-Paul Adam to make all the necessary arrangements.

Emmanuel discovered his musical talents whilst at the National Youth Service (NYS) and later took up music as a professional musician locally before he got a permanent contract to perform at Le Méridien Resort in Dubai where he has been for the past 21 years.

In a thank you message on Facebook, his wife Bridz has thanked each and everyone in Dubai, Manila and Seychelles who have donated financially towards the medication and hospital bills.

She had special thanks for Mr Gappy and his family in Manila, Billy Rangasamy and his family in Dubai, and the organisers and Seychellois public of the fundraising musical concert held in Seychelles on Saturday August 10, 2019.

A total of R51,975 and US $50 was collected from proceeds of the concert and the money was handed over to the daughter of Emmanuel, Emmaline Contoret who thanked the organisers and members of the public for the positive and kind gesture.

“I thank all the Seychellois artists and musicians who have helped in one way or another for the concert to be a great success especially the Seychellois public who gave a positive contribution towards a good cause,” said one of the organisers, Stephen ‘Elijah’ Eliza in his Facebook posting.

Emmanuel is now visually impaired but can however interact very well and has a clear and sharp mind. Due to his eyesight impairment, he has not been able to work for some time now and heavily counted on the financial contributions that poured in for his eye surgery as the hospital bills were getting expensive. He is hoping to turn his life around and return to his musical profession.

Meanwhile, there have been several opinions on social media as to why the Ministry of Health has intervened in bringing Emmanuel back from Manila to Seychelles, whilst there are other Seychellois musicians not in good health but are in admission at the North East Point hospital receiving medical treatment.

Seychelles NATION spoke to Health Minister Jean-Paul Adam who said: “Emmanuel is also a son of Seychelles like all other citizens and the ministry is happy to be taking care of Emmanuel and to be assisting him with medical attention for his chronic diseases”.

Seychelles NATION wishes a speedy recovery to Emmanuel.