Kochi: Kerala has never been short of Brazil fans. But for a family in Kakkanad and their close friends, supporting the Selecao in this World Cup is deeply personal. They hope Brazil’s run inspires a miracle — one that sees their beloved Akshay, bedridden since suffering a stroke after the men in yellow crashed out of the 2022 World Cup, walk again.
Brazil’s Return Brings a Smile
Brazil’s return to the World Cup has already brought a smile back to the 26-year-old’s face, giving his family fresh hope that his enduring love for football could aid his recovery. Last Saturday, a few of his friends visited him and told him Brazil had qualified for the tournament. For the first time in four years, they saw a visible reaction. “He smiled,” his family recalled.
Public Screening Planned
A local club is organising a public screening near their home on Saturday, when Brazil take on Haiti in their second group match. “It will be Akshay’s first outing, apart from hospital visits, in four years,” said his father, K T Purushothaman, a headload worker.
An aspiring footballer himself, Akshay was a passionate Brazil supporter and his family never imagined such a turn in his life. Purushothaman still remembers finding his son lying motionless at the public screening where he had watched the match. “More than two hours had passed after Brazil’s defeat, but Akshay hadn’t returned home. He wasn’t responding and we rushed him to a nearby hospital,” he said.
Diagnosis and Aftermath
The diagnosis was swift: Akshay suffered a stroke caused by a blood clot in his brain. “He suffered the stroke during or shortly after the match,” said Pradeep N K, regional secretary of Kanivu Palliative Care, which has been supporting the family over the past four years.
His friends recalled that Akshay sat frozen after the final whistle. Assuming he wanted to be alone to process the heartbreaking defeat, they quietly left. What they mistook for grief was, in fact, a medical emergency.
For four years, only his eyes showed signs of movement. His family could never be certain whether he understood what was happening around him. “If someone visits us, he closes his eyes. He opens them only after they leave,” his mother, Jaya, said.
Football as Therapy
Pradeep believes football could once again play a role in Akshay’s life—this time in his recovery. “We are trying to arrange a television so he can watch Brazil’s matches at home,” he said.
Brazil, ranked sixth in the world, opened their campaign with a 1-1 draw against Morocco. While they are expected to reach the round of 32, few consider them among the tournament favourites. But for Akshay’s family, results matter for reasons that go far beyond football.
