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By John Ogunsemore
Former Germany captain, Michael Ballack has spoken publicly for the first time over the loss of his son, Emilio, five years ago.
Ballack, 49, lost his 18-year-old son after a tragic quad bike accident during a family holiday in Portugal in 2021.
The former Bayern Munich and Chelsea midfielder spoke about coping with his ordeal with Sky in Germany.
He described the pain from the incident as “unimaginable” while fighting back tears.
Asked how he coped with the pain of his loss, Ballack paused for an extended period before replying, “Difficult. You can’t imagine it. You can’t even describe it in words. It’s a process of repression. Everyone deals with it differently. I can hardly talk about him at all. I’d like to say much more, but it overwhelms me emotionally.”
He added: “That’s why it’s a process of denial, where you try to cope through everyday life… Of course, you then have greater fears. What else could happen?”
He said the experience made him gain a new perspective on the value of life.
Ballack said, “Life is precious. That the life we lead is absolutely privileged. That luck and misfortune also play a major role. Fate… Despite all the talk of fate, I naturally want to face it. That gives me strength again, this task, and at the same time, the realisation that life goes on.”
