People from around the world are celebrating the incredible accomplishments of Tony DeBlois, who has recently been awarded the Boston Celtics “Hero Among Us” recognition. This honour is significant for many reasons, none more so than the fact that it recognises Tony’s commitment to using his remarkable talents and accolades to help others in need.
Tony is a master musician – in fact, he has been described as a “prodigy” by some due to his ability to play more than 30 instruments, including piano and guitar. Moreover, Tony is functionally blind and autistic; his spectacular accomplishments – musically and personally – stand as a testament of his strength, resilience, and determination despite adversity.
In addition to recognition from the Boston Celtics, Tony has also won numerous awards over the years. Among them are the 2008 National Inclusion Project National Spirit Award, 2009 Cleveland Music Award Visionary Award, and 2010 Summer X Games Humanitarian of Year Award. He has also shared the stage with countless famous musicians over the years, such as Bob Dylan, Lenny Kravitz, Duran Duran and Slash.
Aside from his celebrated musical career, Tony is also an advocate for charitable causes close to his heart. For instance, he works to benefit underprivileged children with disabilities by holding music fundraisers for various organizations such as The Starlight Foundation and Autism Speaks. He uses his unique talents for good in other ways too: In 2014 he founded a music therapy center for children with disabilities in Westerly Rhode Island called The ToneDeaf Jubilee.
The Boston Celtics’ recognition was well-deserved for Tony DeBlois as he truly personifies what it means to be a hero among us. His remarkable musical abilities paired with servitude to charitable organisations are second-to-none, and we wish him continued success!
Tony DeBlois has recently earned a well-deserved recognition for all of his outstanding achievements. The Boston Celtics recently chose him as their “Hero Among Us” for a basketball game, which symbolizes their appreciation for his contributions to society.
DeBlois was born blind and has channeled his disability into a passion for music. He has learned to play more than fifteen different instruments by ear and has composed hundreds of works. As part of his award, the Boston Celtics presented DeBlois with a custom No. 15 jersey, representing his 15 instruments and as a tribute to DeBlois’s love of basketball.
Besides this award from the Boston Celtics, DeBlois has also won numerous other awards. Harvard Medical School named him “Best Professional Musician” in 2014 and in 2012 he was granted the Papem Award for excellence in music performance. In addition, DeBlois is the recipient of various awards from organizations like the Academy for Educators and Mental Health Professionals (AEMHP), the European Centre for Music Therapy Studies (ECME), and most recently from the United Nations in 2018 when he received an International Humanitarian Award for his work in music therapy and education.
Clearly, Tony DeBlois is an extraordinary individual whose musical brilliance has been recognized around the world. He has worked hard to create unique compositions that are both inspirational and healing to those who listen to them, which is remarkable given his blindness. Furthermore, he is committed to making music accessible to people of all backgrounds and abilities through his visits to schools and hospitals around the globe where he performs concerts and educates students about disabilities.
Simply put, Tony DeBlois is an inspiration who deserves every accolade he receives. The Boston Celtics are right to recognize him with their “Hero Among Us” award and we hope it will continue to bring much-needed attention to DeBlois’s tireless efforts in music therapy and education.