Gloria Estefan Advocates for Paralysis Research Nearly 35 Years Since Life-Altering Accident

Gloria Estefan attends The Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis’ 38th Annual Great Sports Legends Dinner in New York City on Oct. 16, 2023. Mike Coppola/Getty Images for The Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis

Grammy Award-winning artist, Gloria Estefan, remains committed to raising awareness for paralysis research nearly 35-years since almost losing her life.

Speaking to “CBS Mornings” Sept. 30, the 67-year-old recalled a near-fatal tour bus accident in 1990 that left her temporarily paralyzed.

Estefan, who was 32 at the time, broke her back after a semi-truck collided with her tour bus in Pennsylvania, with doctors warning she may never walk again.

Dubbed the “Queen of Latin Pop,” Estefan turned tragedy into triumph and is not only now walking but still dancing and performing to this day.

“They always have to give you the worst case scenario, and I was paralyzed from that accident,” she told CBS.“ I was put back together here in New York at the hospital for joint diseases.”

She underwent surgery for her severe injuries and spent months in recovery before returning to the stage one year later.

“About six months after the accident, I was able to put my underwear on by myself. That was a big deal,” she said.

“And then, that’s when I started even thinking about getting back on stage and to show people, ‘Hey, you can go through difficult things depending on how you deal with it.’ But, I was back on stage 20 days shy of a year. It took three years to really feel my best,” she added.

Estefan filed a lawsuit against the tractor-trailer company, which reached a $9 million dollar settlement.

Since the crash, she has become a vocal proponent of finding a cure for paralysis, donating over $42 million dollars to support research towards spinal cord injuries.

The “Conga” singer partnered with the “Miami Project to Cure Paralysis,” which was co-founded by former Miami Dolphins player Nick Buoniconti and Dr. Barth Green.

With over 175 scientists, researchers, clinicians, and support staff, the foundation is dedicated to improving quality of life for patients and finding a cure for paralysis, while also seeking therapeutic strategies for spinal cord and traumatic brain injury.

Estefan said the foundation has made “amazing strides” and she remains hopeful in finding a cure.

“I believe there will be, you have to. Look at how many things have been cured,” she said. “I know when I was a child, if they told you the ‘C’ word—cancer—that was the end, and now there are so many cancer treatments.”

The “Miami Project” has also dedicated research toward other neurodegenerative disorders, including Parkinson’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Alzheimer’s disease, and Multiple Sclerosis—a chronic disease of the central nervous system and something Estefan’s father had.

“This [foundation] will also have a lot of great things for diseases like Alzheimer’s, MS that my father suffered from after Agent Orange poisoning, Parkinson’s, because they’re all neuro-related diseases and this research is really important for that.”

Aside from her philanthropic journey, Estefan said she is blessed to have her family with her husband of 46-years, Grammy-winning producer and musician Emilio Estefan. Together, they had daughter Emily and son Nayib.

Estefan is working on an original Broadway musical with her daughter and recording a new Spanish-language album inspired by her loving and strong relationship with her husband.

“We’re very blessed. We have a very beautiful relationship. It’s just grown closer and tighter through the years,” she said of Emilio.