‘It doesn’t matter if I can’t see, I still celebrate’: Blind Liverpool fan becomes viral sensation
Liverpool fan Mike Kearney has been registered as blind since age seven but he doesn’t let his disability hamper his support of his team at Anfield; just watch the viral video of him, seen more than three million times this week.
Kearney has been a fixture at Anfield since he was a child and despite the degenerative eye condition which robbed him of his vision almost two decades ago, he says his enjoyment of Liverpool matches has been unaffected by his condition.
On Tuesday, Kearney was part of the Anfield faithful who witnessed his side’s 1-0 victory against Napoli to secure their progression into the Champions League knockout stages. When Mo Salah’s first-half strike hit the net, Kearney knew instantly that his side had taken the lead – he just didn’t know who was responsible.
This blind fan celebrating Salah’s goal after his friend tells him about the play is amazing! The beautiful game ❤️ pic.twitter.com/4EKJJ1k2Et
— !!! (@loonyroon) December 12, 2018
His cousin, Stephen, whispered the goalscorer's name into his ear moments later and the touching exchange was caught on TV cameras and whisked around the world via social media. Given Salah’s involvement in the clip, Kearney says that he has even been inundated with media interest from Egypt.
“I'm like every other football fan - it doesn't matter if I can't see clearly, I still celebrate,” Kearney told the BBC. “It was just a relief that we scored.”
“I wish I could see more but that doesn't mean I can't form an opinion of my own. It's difficult for people that can see to understand, but I think of it as normal to me and I have been like that all my life. It's just the way I watch the game.”
He says that he occasionally uses the club’s in-house commentary service for people with poor vision but instead prefers to be a part of the atmosphere in the crowd, experiencing the game in that way.
"I like just being involved in the atmosphere and hearing what my cousin thinks - and anyone else, whether it's five rows back and a pleasant comment or not.
"If it's not my cousin Stephen with me then it's other friends, it's just normal for us. I find it weird the reaction. It's nice, but a little bit strange!"
