Comedian Jamel Debbouze Opens Up About Tragic Childhood Accident That Cost Him His Arm

During his appearance on the W9 channel on Wednesday, Jamel Debbouze returned to the accident that caused him to lose his arm in January 1990 through an interview given to the magazine "Jeux vous aime" in 2021. According to the comedian’s confessions, a train had hit him and one of his friends after they had tried to cross the tracks at night. While his friend died on the spot, the comedian got away with the loss of the use of his right arm. At the time, Jamel was 14 years old.

Melissa Theuriau’s husband remembers his reaction when he learned that he could no longer use his right hand. "The first reflex I have when the doctor tells me is to ask him to lend me one of the pens [...] he has in his pocket, because right away I’m practicing to start writing with my left hand [...]. As if this accident was a non-issue. Finally, it wasn’t supposed to be an issue," the actor confessed. "Since my accident, everything I’ve lived is a bonus, a reprieve."

This terrible accident shattered his dream of becoming a footballer. "Failed vocation, all because of my meniscus! Otherwise I would have had an international career," the Comedy Club and Marrakech du Rire creator joked.