Mourning in AfroReggae (original title of the photo), made by photographer Marcos Tristão, was published in the newspaper O Globo, in the October 19, 2009 edition and gained great national repercussion. The photo won the 2010 Embratel Press Award.
The story
The boy portrayed through the lens of photographer Marcos Tristão is Diego Frazão Torquato, or Diego do Violino, or simply, Azul.
Diego was a violin student at the String Orchestra, an AfroReggae social project, coordinated by Professor Evandro João da Silva.
Born in Duque de Caxias, in Baixada Fluminense and from a humble family, Diego spent his childhood in Parada de Lucas, a poor neighborhood in the North Zone of Rio de Janeiro.
From a very early age, he had to overcome the challenges that life imposed on him. At the age of four he had meningitis and pneumonia, diseases that left him, as a sequel, the difficulty of memorization. Even so, he learned to play the violin through classes offered in the community by his teacher Evandro, coordinator of the social projects of the NGO AfroReggae.
On October 18, 2009, a news story shocked AfroReggae: Evandro João da Silva had been murdered in a robbery in downtown Rio.
Marcos Tristão, a photographer for the newspaper O Globo, that same day, in the morning, had recorded a car accident in Barra da Tijuca, where two young people lost their lives. From there, he went on to another agenda to cover the fire fighting that destroyed the collection of the artist Hélio Oiticica. Later, he was tasked with registering the funeral of Professor Evandro João da Silva.
Among the dozens of students at the String Orchestra who played during the funeral, a boy drew attention for his emotion. It was Diego Frazão, who let all his feelings show in that moment of homage to the teacher and, while playing his violin, wept copiously. Marcos Tristão tried to record that exciting moment.
The three articles of Tristão were on the cover of the newspaper O Globo the next day, but the photo of the boy Diego, touched, took all the attention of that edition.
From that day on, Diego gained notoriety. He participated in several events, presentations and television programs. He had become an artist, as he himself said, when asked.
Unfortunately, the fame lasted only six months. In March 2010, Diego was admitted to the ICU of Hospital Saracuruna with suspicion of appendicitis, however, the case was diagnosed as acute leukemia, but chemotherapy could not be done, as the disease was already very advanced.
Diego Frazão Torquato, Diego do Violino, passed away on April 1, 2010, at the age of twelve.
After his death, the project received the name of String Orchestra Diego Frazão , in a beautiful tribute to that boy who, with his emotion, showed everyone that it is possible, even in difficulties, to form a better world.
kushkatya on January 20th, 2023 at 04:02 UTC »
I feel for him on so many levels. Also it's really difficult to perform while emotional, so if he was able to, more props to him.
froginbog on January 20th, 2023 at 04:28 UTC »
I can only imagine how touched the teacher would be seeing this
Spartan2470 on January 20th, 2023 at 13:14 UTC »
Per here and Google Translate: