(eitb.com 3-5-12)
A Spanish bullfighter who lost sight in one eye and has partial facial
paralysis after a terrifying
goring returned to the bullring Sunday, five months after his injury.
On Oct. 8, a bull's horn ripped into Juan Jose Padilla's lower jaw and caused
his left eyeball to protrude as spectators screamed in horror. Padilla was seen
getting up shouting, "I can't see, I can't see anything," his face gushing blood
as assistants distracted the bull.
Now, wearing an eye patch and speaking with a lisp, Padilla fulfilled what he
describes as an unquenchable desire to once again face massive 1,100-pound
(500-kilogram) fighting bulls with the aid of only a cape and sword.
The 38-year-old Padilla, the star attraction at the southwestern town of
Olivenza's annual taurine festival, said he was returning to the ring because of
a need "to win, to triumph, to be a better man."
A capacity crowd of about 5,400 people, including die-hard connoisseurs,
fashion models and well-known personalities, had packed into this town's
historic bullring, which was built in 1854.
The matador, who is also known by his professional name of "the Cyclone of
Jerez," wore a glittering matador's "suit of lights" outfit that had been made
for the occasion in gold braid and olive green, "for hope," according to his
tailor, Justo Algaba. Stitching on the suit traced the shape of laurel leaves
because "they were used to crown the brows of audacious combatants and great
heroes," Algaba said.
Padilla was greeted with loud cheers and enthusiastic hand-clapping as he
walked into the ring to the traditional "pasodoble" brass band music, before
having two unaccompanied flamenco style "saeta" songs dedicated to him, an honor
rarely accorded to bullfighters.
Despite lacking the two-eyed stereoscopic vision that allows people to judge
distances and the speed of approaching objects accurately, Padilla had little
trouble killing his first bull before dedicating the second beast to his tearful
father, who embraced his son after the kill.
"He's been looking forward so much to starting this new phase in his life,"
his manager, Diego Robles, said.
After slaying his third and final bull, Padilla was carried out of the ring
among jubilant crowd scenes on the shoulders of fellow bullfighters who had
shared the billing with him, a very rare salute.
Celebrations commemorating Padilla's successful return were expected to last
well into the night in the rural town.
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http://www.eitb.com/en/news/life/detail/842895/bullfighting--juan-jose-padillas-returns-the-bullring/
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