No title. Gregory Lemarchal in Russia Karin Ferri gave birth to a son

Gregory Lemarchal was born on May 13, 1983 in the French city of La Tronché. His parents were Laurence and Pierre Lemarchal. A few years after Gregory was born, he had a younger sister, Leslie. The future singer was an active boy who loved to play football and basketball. His obvious musical talent was noticeable to his parents since childhood, but Gregorine wanted to go to music school and preferred sports to it.

When the boy was only 20 months old, he was given a terrible diagnosis - cystic fibrosis, or cystic fibrosis. This is a hereditary disease that causes serious dysfunction of the respiratory system and damage to the endocrine glands. Since childhood, Gregory periodically underwent painful sessions of treatment with antibiotics and kinesitherapy. For several weeks, he had to spend two to three hours a day on an IV while his friends played and had fun in the yard.

The famous performer’s parents later said that treatment had always been the main stumbling block between them and their son. The boy did not want to undergo kinesitherapy sessions and lie under a drip, he forgot to take inhalations, take medications, and claimed that he felt much better - just to live at least a little like healthy guys his age. However, over time, Gregory began to take a more responsible attitude towards his illness and the fight against it.

In 1995, when Lemarchal was twelve years old, he became the champion of his native country in acrobatic rock and roll. He would have loved to play football professionally, but a serious illness prevented him from doing so. And every time they tried to get the guy into a music school, he deliberately mercilessly faked it during the auditions. Therefore, of all possible careers, he decided to choose journalism.

Music

It is quite possible that after completing his studies at school, Gregory would indeed become a successful sports journalist, as he decided for himself in high school, but something completely different awaited him.

On July 12, 1998, the guy agreed with his father on a fateful bet. His conditions were as follows: if the French team was first at the football World Cup, then Lemarchal Jr. would perform karaoke during the holidays. France really had no equal that season, and Gregory had to fulfill his promise.

In the karaoke of the small town of Argeles-sur-mer, he performed the composition “Je m’voyais déjà”, performed by the popular singer. Everyone who was in the establishment at that time was fascinated by the melody of the young guy’s voice. Only when strangers, strangers appreciated Gregory's vocal abilities, did he realize that he really had singing talent. And this despite the fact that he could play notes over an impressive range of four octaves.

After this, Lemarchal realized that music should become his life’s work. He was inspired by the compositions of Charles Aznavour and Serge Lama. In the company of his dad, he repeatedly sang at numerous concerts and parties in his district, and very quickly gained popularity in it.

In 1999, he took part in the local television competition "Tremplin des étoiles" and was featured in the television program "Graines de Stars". Music became such an important part of the guy’s life that he even dropped out of school and focused on singing lessons, improving his performance style.

In 2003, Gregory, despite his young age, received the main role of Adam in the musical called “Adam and Eve.” The production toured many French cities, and each performance of the artists received thunderous applause from the audience. Soon a studio single was even recorded, in which, in addition to other performers, Gregory Lemarchal sang his part. However, “Adam and Eve” was not shown in Paris, and this musical did not bring national popularity to the artist.

In the same year, he received one of the main roles in another musical, “Belles, belles, belles,” but the project turned out to be financially difficult, and as a result the production was cancelled. The young performer also tried to get on the TV show “Nouvelle Star”, the domestic analogue of which is the “People’s Artist” project. Alas, this attempt also turned out to be unsuccessful: Lemarchal simply stood in the cold for several hours and did not even make it to the jury, without having the opportunity to demonstrate his impeccable performance to the strict judges.

At the end of 2003 - beginning of 2004, Gregory almost despaired. Nothing worked for him, he began to give up. He went to bed late at night, got up when it was already light outside, and in the evenings he had fun with his friends. A wild and aimless lifestyle took the guy further and further from his dreams, but the complete failure of all his endeavors did not allow him to find the strength to change anything.

"Star Academy"

In the summer of 2004, the French project “Star Academy” (analogous to the Russian “Star Factory”) announced casting for the fourth season of the show. At some point, all the musicians were recruited, and there was only one place left, for which it was supposed to take a guy with a beautiful voice. It was then that Brice Davoli, whom Lemarchal met back in the days of “Adam and Eve,” organized an audition for his friend. Naturally, the jury was amazed by the guy’s vocal abilities and gladly accepted him into the show.

It began filming in September 2004 and completed in December. Although Lemarchal's illness did not allow him to maintain the same schedule as other artists, the organizers worked out a rehearsal schedule that was acceptable to him.

The performer worked diligently and each time amazed the audience with a sincere and piercing performance of the song. At Star Academy, the young, charming singer was nicknamed “The Little Prince.” His music was so incomparable that Gregory was awarded first place in the television project, becoming the first male winner in its history.

Creative takeoff

In 2005, Lemarchal's debut album was released, called “Je deviens moi,” which translates as “I am becoming myself.” Alas, the death of the young performer, which occurred soon after, made this record the only lifetime studio work that Gregory’s discography contains.

The album exploded on the French charts and sold approximately three hundred thousand copies. Confirmation of the performer’s talent and success was the “Discovery of the Year” award received by Gregory at the NRJ Music Awards ceremony.

In 2006, Lemarchal went on a tour of France and also gave several concerts in Switzerland and Belgium. In May 2006, his performances sold out four times at the famous Parisian Olympia concert hall. The songs performed at these concerts were published on the live record “Olympia 06”.

During his short career, Gregory Lemarchal managed to perform duet compositions with such musical masters as Michel Sardou, Hélène Segara, Lucie Bernardoni and others. The songs recorded with them were very popular among the public.

During Gregory’s lifetime, videos were also shot for several of his songs: the most popular was the video for the song “My Angel.”

Death

At the end of 2006, Lemarchal's health condition deteriorated sharply. The development of the disease led to significant complications in the respiratory system. To survive, Gregory needed donor lungs. To alleviate the condition of the guy who was suffering from pain, he was put into an artificial coma.

On April 30, 2007, Gregory died completely unexpectedly for everyone, leaving hundreds of thousands of “Gregorians” inconsolable throughout the planet. The cause of death was the same complications of cystic fibrosis.

The artist's funeral took place in Chambery, at the Cathedral of St. Francis. His grave is located in the cemetery of the small town of Sonnaz, where he spent a significant part of his childhood. Many French artists and over 5,000 fans of the performer joined the funeral procession.

Personal life

In his short life, Gregory Lemarchal managed to know true love. In numerous photos, his girlfriend Karin Ferri can be seen smiling with him on the sun-drenched beach.

Subsequently, it was she who presented the performer’s second album to the public, which he did not manage to release himself.

Discography

• 2005 - Je deviens moi
• 2006 - Olympia 06
• 2007 - La voix d'un ange
• 2009 - Reves

I miss Gregory. Physically. I can no longer touch him, kiss him, look at him. I know he won't come back. I carry within me like a stone the awareness of this inexorable reality. But still, even in my darkest moments, when I'm overcome by dark thoughts, when I can't sleep, or when I don't even have enough strength to even leave the house, I still realize how lucky I am that I managed to share so many moments of happiness with him. Nothing can ever erase them. A thousand times, a million times, I would prefer that Gregory’s genes did not have this nasty thing, but the fact remains that he came into this world already with it. What would we do if we knew in advance, even before he was born, that he had cystic fibrosis? I am not able to answer this question. I don't have a magic wand to change history, but I know that I wouldn't want another son instead of Gregory. And I wish all parents of sick children to have time to enjoy life next to them as much as I did.
I was almost twenty-four years old when my son was born, and we spent the next twenty-four years side by side with him. Twenty-four years during which it was he who taught me to grow up, and not the other way around. Gregory made me a better person. I don’t know what the future years have in store for us, but I enter this period of my life ready to continue the fight, thanks to him, thanks to Leslie and thanks to Pierre, but most importantly, thanks to this completely indescribable love that unites all four of us.

Greg called us the Fab Four—like the Four of Aces, the perfect card combination to face cystic fibrosis and show him who he was dealing with. And it’s true, together we are always stronger. At the Foch hospital, Gregory once asked me: “Mom, those who don’t have all this love... How do they cope?” He worried about others, about those who were not as surrounded by the love of loved ones as he was - and only this helps to repel the attacks of the disease. Without love it is impossible to get out of this, love is the most necessary ingredient to live, it is only in the love that we give and receive that we can find hidden resources that we never knew existed to face challenges.
Gregory was born and raised in a very close-knit family, where everyone talks to each other a lot, where everyone feeds off each other. And he always had a loving mom and dad - together, both ready to support him. But this, unfortunately, does not happen to everyone. In many families, one of the parents - consciously or unconsciously - cannot accept the fact of the birth of a sick child, no matter whether he suffers from cystic fibrosis or another disease, and the parents separate. But we were always together.

Gregory had his own special relationship with each of us. I think he found the right balance. He loved long conversations with me, and gladly shared his most intimate things with me. Since his birth we have always been very close. It must also be said that during his childhood, he and I spent a lot of time together. After all, Leslie was born only five years later, and Pierre at that time was working in jobs that simply physically did not allow him to be at home more often: at first he was a military man, and then he became the head of the information department during the day, and in the evenings and on weekends he worked as a basketball coach . But since family life was more important to him than anything else, he eventually left all his work and began to engage in amateur concerts and animation, and organize various events - this gave him more free time to spend at home. Their rapport with Gregory was simply striking. The two spent countless hours together, first playing various sports and then sharing their common passion for music. Pierre, who was specially trained for this purpose, quite often himself conducted additional kinesitherapy sessions for Greg. Gregory needed his father, and Pierre was always there for him. I even think that our son would never have wanted to become a singer to such an extent if he had not had his father’s example before his eyes. And he would never have been able to realize himself so fully without the help of Pierre. In 2005, Pierre completely abandoned his professional activities in order to devote himself entirely to his son, so that Gregory could shift the entire burden of organizational concerns onto him and devote himself exclusively to his dream. Every day of this daily life, Pierre reassured him, gave him advice, loved him. I love listening to my husband talk about this period - story after story, all accompanied by laughter.

The only thing that could stop Gregory from participating in Star Academy is if Leslie suffered even in the slightest degree. After all, he watched the previous seasons of the program and saw that his fame could greatly affect the family. He was very worried about how this would affect the studies of his sister, who was only sixteen years old at the time. But Leslie, who had always been a very good student, did not let all this mediatization bother her, and she did not disappoint her older brother, who was her example, her beacon, her hero.
These two - very different and very similar at the same time - have always shown a very special affection for each other. Their relationship between brother and sister was built gradually, because the fact that you were born in the same family does not mean that you are obliged to love each other. And, of course, when they were little, they sometimes quarreled, but never in a big way or with anger. They grew up in harmony with each other. Gregory loved to tease his little sister, and at the same time protected and protected her. He was so proud of her, especially her academic achievements. Leslie is calmer and more reserved than her brother, and she has always admired him for his strength of character, his will, his athletic and, a little later, vocal achievements. More than anything, she wanted Greg to be happy because she loved him more than anyone. And he reciprocated her feelings, knew how to always pay attention to her, constantly elevated her, appreciated her. And Leslie never felt the least bit jealous of him. She is a very smart child, and at a very early age she realized that despite the fact that by the will of fate I am forced to devote more time to Gregory and worry more about him, this does not change my love for her, and I love them equally strongly. Pierre and I always made sure that our children did not have the slightest doubt about this. I know that sometimes such a situation can provoke tension in brother-sister relationships, because I myself have often seen how mothers gave all of themselves only to a sick child, while forgetting about their other children, and not realizing the terrible consequences of this may cause. My two children have never experienced such a feeling of “rupture.” On the contrary, all they did was show mutual love and care for each other.

Gregory's life would probably never have been so full and serene if my parents, Simone and Roland, had not been with us. They were still living in Longwy - in Lorraine, where both Pierre and I are from - when my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. And I constantly had to travel many kilometers to visit her, and I did this very often... And when mom finally coped with this terrible illness, she and dad decided to move closer to us. In 1994, they sold their house and bought an apartment in Chals-les-Eaus, which is very close to Barbie, where we just settled at that time. Gregory and Leslie loved their other grandparents just as much - Lulu and Jacqueline, Pierre's parents - but, naturally, they had more closeness with their grandmother Simone and grandfather Roland, who babysat for them when Pierre and I were busy at work . On those days, my father would pick them up at noon from school during break and take them to Chals-les-Eaus, where my mother would be waiting for them with her famous delicacies. Thanks to her, my children never had lunch in the school cafeteria. And by the way, it was better for Gregory, because he had to adhere to a special nutritious diet. And when the second half of school was over, my parents would pick them up again and, this time, take them to our house, where Greg and Leslie could play or do homework while waiting for us to return. Gregory perceived my mother as his second mother. She was simply the embodiment of wisdom. And my father, in turn, gave them moments of games and entertainment. For example, he played cards a lot with Gregory, and his wife grumbled at him all the time because they often abused games of ping-pong, which were not very useful for grandfather's heart.

We really had a great time in this house in Barbie, which had such a unique view of the Chambery valley. And it was while we were living in Barbie that one very important aspect of Greg's daily life changed. Thanks to the development of medicine¸ and also due to the fact that we were able to comply with all sanitary standards, he was finally allowed to undergo all these difficult courses of antibiotic treatment at home, and not in the hospital. Psychologically - and Lord knows that the most important thing in the fight against cystic fibrosis is morale - this was a very significant relief for Greg. Gregory met a wonderful team of nurses who came to help him. He developed excellent friendships with Herve, Isabelle, Miriam and Benoit. For long hours, while Gregory lay under a drip, they chatted with him about everything and nothing, joked, told each other about their lives. For Greg, they truly became more than just medical staff - they became his friends. Just like Philip, a full-time kinesitherapist who began working with Gregory when he was only two years old. This friendship, this affection, these simple human relationships made the treatment more bearable.

But even though our life in Barbie was so comfortable, in 2003 we decided to move again. My mother had a relapse of cancer. And Pierre suggested finding a large house, divided into two halves, so that we could all live together in one place, and at the same time maintain the independence of each family. In fact, my parents already spent as much time at our house as at their own - with children it was impossible to do it any other way! And we literally fell in love with one former farm in Sonnaz, on the other side of Chambery, which we found in March 2004. This old farm is filled with memories. I see Gregory again and again in the kitchen next to me, I hear how he is indignant, sitting in front of the TV and watching a football match, the walls of all the rooms still sound with his laughter, I remember how there were always a lot of friends around him at the table. Gregory loved this place more than anything in the world. This was his peaceful haven, the place where he always returned from the bustle of Paris to recharge his batteries and relax. Even though Sonnaz is not part of our team's medical coverage area, these nurses still continued to visit Greg whenever he needed it. They always added his name to their already very busy list without any prior appointment. During our treatment courses, they began their working day with Gregory at five thirty in the morning, and ended it with Gregory, too, from eighteen to twenty hours. I don't think we can ever thank them enough. With them, the expression “give your all” took on the most literal meaning...

Despite all her courage and perseverance, my mother still died of cancer on December 12, 2005. We were simply heartbroken. A little more than a month later, on January 21, 2006, in Cannes on the stage of the Festival Palace, Gregory received the NRJ Music Awards in the “Discovery of the Year” category. He dedicated this trophy, this recognition from the public, which he was waiting for before the start of his tour, to Grandma Simone.
After the passing of our amazing, beloved grandmother, Greg said to me:
- Mom, just don’t ever sell this house.
Today my mother and Gregory are no longer with us. We still have the NRJ trophy in Sonnaz in my father's living room. We will never sell this farm. By the way, after April 30, 2007, I didn’t even like leaving there for a long time. I can spend a maximum of a week in another place, and then I just physically need to return there, as if something is calling me. Probably the point is that I, too, can only gain energy there to “recharge my batteries.”

Without a doubt, Gregory always received a huge amount of love from his family, but in the whirlpool of his life, the most important thing was missing: the love of a woman. In his entire life before Star Academy, he introduced us to at most three girlfriends. As a youth, my son was never a seducer, he was more of a romantic. Surely he simply lacked that screaming self-confidence that young people his age are usually so full of. Greg, on the other hand, was never happy with his fitness and his body. Despite his voracious appetite, despite his constant exercise, he was still very thin, and he had complexes about this, I would even say he suffered about this. Cystic fibrosis prevented him from properly metabolizing fats and other nutrients, so it was difficult for him to look like “Mr. Muscle.” Except that his abs were very pumped up - like a chocolate bar. He always said with humor that this was due to coughing attacks, which perfectly trained his muscles. Greg knew how to find the positive in everything.
But in September 2005, Gregory seemed to suddenly regain his confidence. Soon he admitted to us that he had indeed met a girl. And he clarified so that everything would be clear to us from the very beginning:
- Only she’s even crazier than me...
There simply could not have been a better character trait for him! His eyes shone with happiness. For the first time in his life, he told us about a girl with such passion and with such enthusiasm. It was Leticia, his make-up artist, who introduced him to her friend Karin Ferri, a TV presenter. I met Karin at the end of December 2005. Greg invited her to celebrate New Year's with us. And I’m a “mother hen”, of course, at first I was wary of her. What does she want from my son? He is such a natural, naive provincial, and from the TV screens she seemed like such a sophisticated and glamorous Parisian. And besides, to be honest, I can’t say that Karin’s participation in the reality show “The Bachelor” a year and a half earlier strongly swayed me in her direction. I should have immediately remembered the old saying: appearances are deceiving. And Greg warned me:
- Mom, trust me!
He was right. Gradually, I finally understood what kind of person Karin really is. And most importantly, I know with all my soul that Karin is the only girl on this earth that my son was destined to meet. She became interested in the real Gregory - the one whom no one knew except us. She wanted to know everything about cystic fibrosis. For the first time in his life, Gregory was able to trust a girl and tell her in detail about his terrible illness, without fear of her reaction. And Karin was not afraid. How much she must have loved him! People don’t even suspect what kind of strong love you need to have for a person in order to live side by side with someone whose life is limited every minute by this abomination. You can’t deceive here, you can’t fake it! They both seemed to blossom next to each other. From the very first minute they immediately realized that they were on the same wavelength. They instantly “recognized” each other - it’s impossible to explain. They had the same desires, the same obsessions, they built their lives on the same values: on a sense of family, on respect for friendship and on keeping their word. In addition, they both had, let’s say, tempered characters! Gregory needed someone equal, and in Karin he found his reflection, his double - everything he could expect from a woman.
Gregory could become very jealous at times. And Karin also reciprocated his feelings. One day it occurred to my prankster husband to play a joke on her. Pierre and Greg were in Corsica, participating in a charity beach soccer tournament organized by Pascal Olmeta. And seeing that Gregory was talking on the phone with his fiancee, who remained in Paris, Pierre quietly approached him and - loud enough for her to hear - said something stupid like:
- Greg! Hurry up, the models from the Elite agency are waiting for us here, you have a photo shoot with them...
Karin didn't like it. I didn't like it at all. And when a few days later Greg went to meet her at the airport to continue their vacation together, she still didn’t find it funny... In fact, they completely trusted each other, but Karin couldn’t stand it when other girls revolved around her beloved, and Greg reacted the same way to her fans. From the height of their twenty-three and twenty-four years, they enjoyed their love story to the fullest, and did everything to ensure that their life together was always a holiday.

And the best holiday for Gregory and Karin was to simply stay alone or meet with friends, have dinner, chat, watch some DVD. They constantly avoided social parties. In fact, public people very often try to hide - this is their natural reflex, so that no one will interfere and spoil their happiness. But their attempts to hide are never enough. And, of course, everyone found out about their idyll anyway. Gregory hated reading stupid gossip about his and Karin's personal life in magazines. Very often they tried to portray him as a small, inexperienced boy, a mama's boy, and she as a vamp woman, rushing at her prey. In general, a lot of nonsense was written about their relationship. Many insisted that this relationship could not be true at all and was just PR. And at the same time, the paparazzi were chasing them everywhere to catch some interesting shot. And, naturally, at a certain point, Gregory and Karin were simply tired of all this, and they decided to officially open up and talk about their love story, hoping that by doing this they would stop the hunters for “sensations”. During a holiday on the island of Re in the summer of 2006, they asked their friend photographer Philip Warren to conduct a photo shoot for them together, and agreed to be interviewed by Gala magazine. These photos of Philip came out absolutely gorgeous and their interview was also very beautiful. Yes, they love each other. It's been a year now. Yes, they are making joint plans for the future. Yes, they were fed up with all these ridiculous rumors. They are happy, just happy.
But a few weeks later, Voici magazine published photos taken without permission of Karin in the park, in the company of a man. And with the headline “Gregory is deceived.” And in the magazine itself there was a whole spread called “So what do you say now about Karin Ferri and Gregory?” And below, under this “header,” is a phrase that summarizes the entire article and is intended to hook the reader and make him want to read: “At the beginning of the new season, she wanted new things. But instead of buying herself a new coat, she just got herself a new fiancé.”
The captions under the photographs were equally beautiful and delicate: “Last spring, Karin was madly in love with her Gregory. It’s just that she hadn’t seen him in swimming trunks yet...”
Or here’s another...
“In the end, she told herself that a man—really a man—isn’t so bad...”
“Actually, it seems like Karin likes tall and thin. Well, okay, she could have changed her mind..."
“With Francois, the brunette beauty discovers new sensations...”
This man Karin allegedly cheated on my son with was just her boss, and they had lunch together that day...
Gregory was very deeply offended and shocked by the force and brutality of this attack. And not even because they once again took on his mate, but because his masculinity was called into question. He was actually reproached for his frail appearance - compared to other, “normal” men. He was already punished from birth - every day he was forced to fight cystic fibrosis. And now they decided to punish him again for something for which he was not even guilty. This injustice outraged him. He sued Voici, but cystic fibrosis took him before the hearing could take place. Therefore, we took upon ourselves the continuation of this court case - such undisguised anger must still be punished somehow. And Gregory won this case in January 2008. What are these kinds of journalists even thinking about when they write all these things? They should have at least a minimal guess about the pain they cause to a person, no? And I'm also trying to understand their editors-in-chief who read these damning phrases and sign them for publication. But I just can't do it.
Fortunately, the love that bound Gregory and his little angel did not succumb to these constant attacks. Greg was sure of his feelings. Karin was “the one” for him, the only one with whom he wanted to spend his whole life. Greg was not some kind of super-man, and he also had periods of depression, periods when he lost the remnants of courage, and each time Karin brought him back to his feet. This was the most beautiful proof of love that she could give him. The lyrics to De temps en temps, which Gregory wrote for her, literally poured out from his heart: “I rise under your gaze / In my dreams I go further and further.”
“Further and further” - this meant continuing the journey of life together.
Gregory also wrote in this song: "Deep down all I'm waiting for / Is to see the result of our efforts / For love to still live here with us."
The result of their efforts, the beginning of a new life, was to occur after the lung transplant that was so important for Greg. If their couple could get through this final test, no one and nothing could separate them.
In the lyrics of the unreleased song Tu me rends plus fort (“You make me stronger”), Gregory writes about this even more openly: “The beauty of our children / Will blind and conquer fate / They will gradually grow / And we will become one...”
Karin and Greg wanted to get married after the transplant and were planning to have a child. Of course, they would have done all the necessary genetic tests, but Gregory was convinced that Karin was not a carrier of the gene responsible for cystic fibrosis. They were already imagining themselves with a little boy, dark-haired like themselves, and terribly restless... like themselves! What a blessing that my son had more than just music to make plans for the future! He wanted to become a father - this is not some nonsense! Since cystic fibrosis renders virtually all men with the disease sterile, they would have to resort to artificial insemination. And Gregory had already talked about this with his doctor - he described to them all the stages that he would have to go through.
To all those who are skeptical about the possibility and advisability of having a child when a person is sick with such a serious illness, I want to immediately answer that my son did not intend to die young and leave his child orphan. After the transplant, you can allow yourself any hopes. And when hope for the future is the only thing that helps you hold on, as well as the firm belief that love is stronger than anything in the world, there is no reason to forbid yourself to live a normal life. Each of us could die tomorrow, and completely unexpectedly, stupidly and unpredictably. There is no “right” age to die. Most people hope for one thing: to leave this Earth very, very old, and most importantly, painlessly. But in fact, in life, things rarely happen exactly like this, but due to the fact that a person’s main obsession becomes “postponing this day,” he ends up forgetting to live and enjoy every moment he lives. People who suffer from cystic fibrosis - at least the ones I know - do not eclipse their entire existence with the fear of death, and even though, statistically speaking, there is every chance that it will come to them before it comes to me or to to you. They just live - every second. And even in the most difficult moments, Gregory never spent a single day without fun and laughter. No matter what happens, yes, life should remain a holiday. And with Karin, their celebration was never meant to end.

Karine deserves much more than all those people who sometimes write me letters to insult her or to tell me how they sympathize with me and Pierre, that we had to attend the performance of an inconsolable widow, staged by this Karine Ferri, supposedly to take advantage of fame our "poor son". Sometimes these letters are even written by Gregory's fans. I can still forgive some jealousy on the part of little girls who themselves do not understand what they are saying, but I cannot forgive the nonsense of adults. Naturally, such letters are always anonymous, without an address where they could be answered. Therefore, I will answer them all at once, and I hope that they will understand me: remember once and for all, stop wasting stamps, letters with similar content are immediately sent to their rightful place - in my trash can.
And I think that I even feel sorry for these anonymous authors, because they don’t know a person like Karin, but I do. Last year she agreed to perform in Olympia at the charity concert “Tout le monde chante”, aimed at fighting cancer by raising funds and caring for sick children. To go on this stage, where her beloved was so happy, required superhuman efforts from her. But she did it, and then went backstage and cried away from the photographers. That's what she is, my daughter-in-law. She is forced to always wear a shell in order to remain worthy. Karin will always be a member of our family. When we don’t see her, we really miss her. Our connection with her is indestructible, it defies time. And more than anything, we want her to be happy. She is still too young to give up her life. But the day she finally starts dating someone, all the same people who accused her of exploiting her grief for PR will begin to hunt for details of her new love story at all costs, and some of them will immediately announce her “betrayal” of Gregory, accuse her of “quickly forgetting” her fiancé, and then this whole company will unanimously move on to something else or to someone else. And I know that she will endure all this. And I also know that Gregory will always live in her heart. My son changed her forever, and he - I know this for sure - he passed away happy, and only thanks to her.

Chapter 7
"I'm dreaming"

“Mais n"écris jamais la fin de l"histoire"
Gregory Lemarchal

(Never write the end of the story)

A story about how to stay in the hearts of millions

The success of the young French artist was rapid and grandiose. After winning the French “Star Factory” (“Star Academy”) in 2004, France, and then the whole of Europe, including Russia, fell in love with him. And at the end of April 2007 he passed away. Gregory Lemarchal died in a Paris clinic without waiting for a donor. He never turned 24 years old.
Fans still can't believe that they now have to talk about him in the past tense. This dark-haired young man with a curious, somehow lively, pure look and a surprisingly strong voice left few people indifferent. He was called the Little Prince for his kindness and sincerity. Gregory had a congenital disease - cystic fibrosis (a genetic disease of the respiratory tract). But he lived for the present day, believed in himself and his dream. And now his songs are loved just as much, maybe even more than before.

Its purpose

Gregory Lemarchal was born in the small French town of Savoy, near Chambery. It took me a while to find my favorite activity. Since childhood, he has been involved in sports: basketball, football, and at the age of eleven he even became the French champion in acrobatic rock and roll. The illness did not allow him to make sports a profession, but Gregory did not despair, because the character of a wrestler was in his blood. He also loved to sing, but was not fully aware of his talent.

There is one important day in the artist’s biography - July 12, 1998. It was then that the French national football team won the World Cup, and Gregory lost a bet to his father, under the terms of which - if the French won - Gregory was obliged to sing karaoke during the next holidays. A couple of days later, Gregory sang the song “Je m’voyais” by Charles Aznavour in front of a small audience and captivated everyone sitting in the hall. Perhaps it was then that he saw the effect his singing had on people and decided to continue. He was 15 years old then.

Mom, it’s not without reason that I was given such a voice from above... Why do I have this voice? “With my illness,” Gregory once asked.

Dear, I don’t know how, I don’t know when, but I know for sure that you will succeed. I know this is your purpose.

He tried to live the way he felt. At first I took part in local competitions (“Tremplin des étoiles” in 1999 .) and television programs (“Graines de Stars” in 1999.) . For the sake of singing, he even dropped out of school in the penultimate grade. And one day, in the summer of 2003, during the casting for the musical “Belle,” Gregory refused the role that the producers offered him, because he was convinced that his place was not in this troupe. Gregory was looking for something of his own, namely a place where he could fully reveal his talent. It turned out to be the television reality show “Star Academy”. In the summer of 2004, his candidacy was approved for participation, and in December Gregory Lemarchal was named the winner. He was supported by 80% of the audience, a confident and well-deserved victory.

At the French “Star Factory” he tried very hard. Gregory was no different from the other participants: he studied, gave his all in classes, rehearsals, and concerts. Nothing except one thing: he regularly needed to undergo medical procedures, and his attending physician was always with him. During the project, the young artist made an important decision - not to hide his illness from the audience, but still did not want to focus attention on it. In his interviews, he often repeated that he came to project to learn. He studied quite successfully. The young man was a truly gifted performer, and his talent was appreciated on the project. His voice cannot be compared with anyone else; in his songs he seemed to live every note. Both listeners and professionals noticed this. The master of the French stage, Ivan Cassar, told Gregory: “I hear how much you yourself like what you sing. It’s like a taste of your joy in the sound.”

However, he got involved in the popular project quite by accident. At the very least, Gregory himself would hardly have come to the casting. It so happened that a friend recommended him to the organizers. He auditioned and ended up on a project that gave him a very bright rise.

After " Star Academy" he became a real star in France. Already in April 2005, his first album “Je deviens moi” (“I become myself”) was released, which instantly sold out throughout France and went platinum within a few months. And at the beginning of next year, the young singer received the “Discovery of the Year” music award at the “NRJ Music Awards”. Then there were tours in France, Belgium and Switzerland. The public clearly sympathized with Gregory, but the young artist modestly repeated in his interviews that he did not pretend to be a “star”: “I think “star” is too strong for me. All I want is to give happiness to people. I'm not at all obsessed with the idea of ​​fame."

Laurence Lemarchal - Gregory's mother - recalls:“He didn’t want to live anything other than music. She nourished him. She was like oxygen to him. Because when Gregory was on stage, he told us every time: “The only moments in my life when I am not sick are when I sing on stage.” But, having gone behind the scenes, he again returned to reality. But the reality is this: 20 tablets a day, daily kinesitherapy sessions. Even his concerts were specially structured in such a way that he could withstand the load. But still he was happy that his dreams were starting to come true.

Just together

They were often together: they walked, went to restaurants, spent time like an ordinary couple. A little later they began to live together in the suburbs of Paris. Karin is still sure that that time was the most wonderful... And she always supported Gregory when he got worse. He, without hiding his admiration, shared with the press: “She means incredibly much to me. In any case, when I love a person, it is never “a little” or “half”, but only completely and completely. I feel like I've literally blossomed since I've been with Karin. I'm proud of our love. My girlfriend is very considerate of others, always willing to listen, and has a great sense of humor. She is always in a good mood! She is all I need."

But fame has another side, not very pleasant. After winning the TV show, there was too much attention. The brightest young couple in French show business was in full view of everyone, and, naturally, there were ill-wishers. He wanted to protect himself and his beloved from negative influences from the outside, but it didn’t always work out. Thousands of watching eyes, constant evaluation of Gregory and his relationship with Karin did not please the artist: “It hurts me terribly that some people question the sincerity of our relationship, - he admitted. - This gossip is heavy, stupid and evil. They caused us a lot of pain." The “yellow” press believed that they were not a couple, that their relationship was PR. But Gregory and Karin simply loved and at first they even promised each other not to tell the press anything. But in the end they decided to tell in order to somehow get rid of the intrusive paparazzi and tabloid newspaper journalists: “We were simply forced to talk about our relationship in order to put an end to the rumors, be they harmless or evil,” Gregory shared.

After his death, Karin did not give any interviews for three months. She needed time to get over the loss of her loved one. She shared her feelings and experiences with the French magazine “Gala”, where she sincerely and tenderly spoke about how she felt: “Greg left loving me. And I will love him for the rest of my life. There is no point in our history. I am a believer, and I know that one day we will meet again, and then nothing can separate us.” On June 18, 2007, the second album “La voix d" un ange” (“The Voice of an Angel”) was presented, and it was Karin who presented it...

The story of the Little Prince lives on

Gregory wanted to live. He wanted everything to be fine and all his plans to come true. He fought to the last. Before the operation, Gregory repeated: “I will defeat you, damn disease.” But even more than that, he wanted the disease that prevented him from living normally to not take the lives of others, to have good conditions in hospitals, money for medicine, everything necessary for treatment. “Greg leaving couldn’t just happen, it had to serve something... We need to win this fight. For his sake and for the sake of all those who suffer from this same evil,” says Karin. To draw public attention to the problem of cystic fibrosis, on June 7, 2007, his family created the Association Gr égory Lemarchal. Its goal is to raise funds to fight the disease.

“When Gregory left... The day he passed away... You see, he represented something very important to people with cystic fibrosis, to children and to their families. And we realized that it became impossible to stop all this, to give up,” recalled Pierre Lemarchal at the opening a new pulmonology department for patients with cystic fibrosis at the Foch hospital in the Paris suburb of Suresnes. 1 November 3, 2008 is an important date for this hospital, because the opening of the department can significantly improve the living conditions of patients with cystic fibrosis. The entire Lemarchal and Karine family personally supervised the renovation of the department and its arrangement. It was no coincidence that they chose it, because in April 2007 Gregory spent his last days there. And who else but them knows what it’s like to be in a hospital in the heat, without comfort, to open a window overlooking a dirty, noisy street, to pay a significant amount extra every week for television and the Internet... When Gregory was in this hospital, his family was next to him , supported as best she could. A year and a half later, they returned there again to help other patients. Gregory’s mother came up with one of the rooms herself. This is the room with pleasant atmosphere, calm colors, with all the necessary equipment: refrigerator, microwave, multimedia screen with access to television and the Internet. Laurence Lemarchal insisted that all this be completely free. « This should be the case in all departments where young people suffering from chronic diseases are treated, she believes. “When the place you live in makes you happy, the days seem shorter and easier to get through.”

Over the course of the year, the Association collected more than 10 million euros. There are more and more charitable events, in which Gregory’s friends from “ Star Academy" They perform at concerts in memory of him. “Yes, Gregory left, but it was all thanks to him. It's all thanks to him. Gregory saves lives...” Karin noted.

P. S.

The songs of the French singer inspire numerous listeners around the world. New creativity is born: tender poems, heartfelt stories that are associated with one’s own feelings and experiences. There is something that unites this creativity - gratitude to Gregory for his lyrical music and life story. In Europe there is a whole community of “Gregorians” - fans who like the music and philosophy of life of Gregory Lemarchal. Gregorians They organize their own circle where they meet, communicate, share their creativity, dedicating it to Gregory. This community also exists in Russia, it is called “Gr égory Lemarchal in Russia”.

The feeling that Gregory is alive persists. And not only because his songs continue to live, his voice sounds and continues to delight. Remember the phrase: a person is judged by how he acts on others. Gregory used to receive hundreds of letters where people sincerely thanked him for what he did, for instilling amazing hope for the best. “When I read letters from people who say that they got out of a difficult situation thanks to me, I understand that I succeeded in something in this life,” Gregory once said in an interview. Now there are more and more of these letters... Thousands of letters, hundreds of comments on websites and forums. Many Russian listeners admit that they learned about the French singer after his death and regret that they did not hear earlier.(Charitable Foundation “In the Name of Life” Help for patients with cystic fibrosis in Russia)

GALA, August 2006 “GREGORY and KARINE”

The rights to use this material belong to GregoryLemarchal.ru
Translation prepared by: Maggie (Rita)

Today, we want to offer you the first official interview with Gregory and Karin, where they declared themselves a couple, in order to dispel all the rumors that circulated in the tabloid press on this matter. This interview was conducted by the French edition of GALA magazine in August 2006.

KARIN AND GREGORY

“Wedding, baby... anything is possible in the future.”

This is the most beautiful love story of this summer. The Little Prince's novel from Star Academy and the winners of the Bachelor reality show are officially confirmed. For the first time they talk about their relationship - without any inhibitions and with great feeling.

The irresistible Bachelor contestant and winner Star Academy are in love with each other? At first, this news only made everyone smile skeptically. Now they have silenced all the skeptics, declaring with all the sincerity for which they can only be respected: “Everything is serious with us, we love each other”. And no matter how incredible their story may seem, we have to admit that we are forced to believe in it.

Gala: Now you are posing together for our magazine. So, you want to refute all the rumors that your romance is supposedly fake?

Gregory Lemarchal: Exactly. All these rumors hurt us, especially considering that it will soon be a year since we dated. Since no one had seen me have a girlfriend before, this was somewhat surprising. But I am a man in love and proud of it! And our loved ones know how passionate we are about each other.

Karin Ferri: What's bad is that people start jumping to conclusions based on appearance alone. They call me “curvy and sexy.” Well, let. What is the problem? Doesn't the fact that you are sexy allow you to lead a normal everyday life? But in the end, in people’s minds, Gregory still remains “a little boy with Star Academy”, and I am an insidious seductress. But this does not mean that it really is! Like any other woman, I love to be liked. But it's a pity that people rely only on appearance.

Gregory: The most important thing - and I keep repeating this to Karin - is that we are confident in our love.

Gala: You don't live together. How then do you structure your life as a couple?

Karin: We live five minutes walk from each other. This was our initial choice: we wanted to keep our love story from outside interference at all costs. We preferred to avoid appearing in public together and constantly moved from one apartment to another. Until everyone found out about our relationship. From that moment on we said to ourselves: “That’s it, the mechanism has started, stop hiding already! Let us live our love openly.” Now we want to go somewhere together, ride a bike, play tennis, travel, go to a restaurant, walk holding hands... In general, behave like an ordinary normal couple.

Gregory: As for living together... If the time comes, it will come. Attention: this does not mean that we are afraid that we will break up! We are truly attached to each other. But we are still young and understand perfectly well that haste can destroy a couple. Karin feels at home with me, and everything else will come gradually.

Gala: Does this mean that someday you are going to get married and start a family?

Gregory: We're not asking that question at the moment. We love each other, we are happy. And this is the main point. But if everything continues as it is now, then it is quite possible that I will live with Karin, and we will make plans for the future - a wedding, children - everything is possible. I'm not with her because it's just a love affair. We both hope that everything between us is serious and for a long time!

Gala: Karin, recently there were rumors that Steven (the young man with whom Karin made a couple on the programBachelor) returned to Paris to conquer you again, is it true?

Karin: No, that's not true! I haven't heard from Stephen for a long time. We parted on good terms, he lives in New York, I live in Paris. And there is no question that we will get back together with him.

Gregory: As for me, I'm not jealous! Karin and I don't hide anything from each other, so there's no problem.

Gala: And yet, Steven and Gregory are completely different people. How can you explain such a huge difference between the two virtually opposite types of men you have chosen?

Karin: I don't compare them. Yes, I had a beautiful love story with Stephen, but that's in the past. I always said: “For me there is no concept of “my type of man.” I think it's stupid to fall in love only with a certain type of appearance. Today I love Gregory. I adore its simplicity, its tenderness, its dreaminess... (Gregory lowers his eyes, smiles and blushes). Contrary to all rumors, I haven't had many men in my life, but what I love most about Greg is his generosity.

Gala: And it doesn’t scare you that his mother calls her son every two days?

Karin (both laugh): I'm from the South myself, so I know the spirit of family ties first hand. My mother also wants to participate in all my affairs and constantly take care of me. And Greg's mom, Laurence, accepts me because I make her son happy.

Gregory: Well, if my mom calls me every two days, I'd call that a lot of progress on her part - she used to call me several times a day! The fact is that she and I have experienced a lot of strong emotions together, so our mother-son bond is stronger than usual. Now she is happy that her son is in love and therefore everything is fine. Karin and I are both very family-oriented, and I also get along well with her family - complete happiness!

Gala: Gregory, the fact that you have cystic fibrosis... What does this change in your personal life?

Gregory: Honestly, nothing. Everything's great. I sometimes find it difficult to maintain my presence of mind. But since I've been in love, I have additional support. I have Karin, she makes me laugh and can lend a shoulder when needed. The only thing is that in the future I would like to learn more about this disease from the other side, not through myself. I am too often associated with this image of a sick boy, and I suffer greatly from this, because first of all I would like to be known simply as an artist.

Gala: Karin, does Gregory’s disease somehow limit you in your everyday life?

Karin: No, it doesn’t limit it in any way. Gregory takes everything well, and we are a completely “normal” couple.

Gala: What are your plans for the rest of the summer?

Gregory: We've already taken advantage of the holidays! In July we spent a week in Corsica. Azure sky, wonderful beaches... We went water skiing, went to see caves and bays... It was a real vacation! So we just spend August quietly and calmly with our families. But we don’t part for long: it’s too dangerous! Because I admit: I’m certainly not jealous... but... cautious! I trust Karin, but I don't really trust the men who revolve around her. She is my treasure and I treasure her!

Photo captions:

1) where are they close up: They were introduced by a mutual friend. “At first we were just friends,” says Karin. “But that didn’t last long,” Gregory adds.

2) Where they hug and laugh: It's been almost a year since they separated. They say that they are too different, but they just smile in response. Between Greg, who sold more than 200,000 copies of his albumJedeviensmoi and Miss Weather Forecast of the M6 ​​channel have quite a lot in common - a television background, a love of sports and family.

Biography Gregory Lemarchal. When the singer was born and died, cause of death, memorable places and dates. Relationship with Lara Fabian. Quotes, Photo and video.

Years of life

born May 13, 1983, died April 30, 2007

Epitaph

"You are in the hands of an angel,
Maybe you will find peace in them.”
From the song “Angel” by singer Lara Fabian, performed by her in memory of Lemarchal

Biography of Gregory Lemarchal

Biography of Gregory Lemarchal - the story of the courageous “French angel”, who lost his last fight on April 30, 2007. But even after Lemarchal’s death, the memory of him and his talent continues to live, including in the name of the fight against cystic fibrosis, a disease with which Gregory lost the battle.

Gregory was born in the town of La Tronche. He was just a baby when doctors diagnosed him with cystic fibrosis., a genetic disease that destroys the lungs, liver, intestines and pancreas. Nevertheless, as a child, Gregory was the same as other children - went in for sports and even became the French champion in acrobatic rock and roll! But with age, the disease made itself felt more and more - sometimes the boy had to sit at home all day on IVs. One day he lost a bet to his father and he had to sing karaoke - seeing how others reacted to his voice, for the first time in his life Lemarchal realized that the stories from his parents that he is talented are true.

For all of France, the singer Lemarchal was born on September 3, 2004, when he appeared on stage in the fourth season of the major music reality show Star Academy. For four months the country watched with bated breath the fate of this talented boy, and finally, on December 22, 2004, the winner of the project became known. He became Lemarchal - "The Little Prince" of French music, as it was later dubbed. After the project ended, Gregory simply could not go into oblivion - his first single received the honorary title of platinum disc, and already in April 2005, Lemarchal’s first album “Je deviens moi” (“I am becoming myself”) was released, which immediately took the first place in the charts. Gregory went on a solo tour - performing in all cities of France, as well as in Belgium and Switzerland, during which a live album by Gregory Lemarchal was recorded. Everywhere he was met by crowds of fans, to whom the singer Lemarchal responded with no less love than they gave him.

Cause of death

Stardom not only did not go to Gregory’s head, but gave him strength to live and work further. But at the end of 2006, the disease made itself felt again, and Gregory soon needed lung transplant, required hospitalization. On the evening of April 29, Gregory was placed in an induced coma while awaiting a transplant, and Gregory Lemarchal died on April 30, 2007., which became a tragic loss for the Gregory family, for France and for the Gregorians (as Gregory's fans call themselves) around the world. Gregory's cause of death was complications from cystic fibrosis. After the death of the “French angel,” two more posthumous albums by Gregory Lemarchal and several singles were released.

Lemarchal's funeral took place on May 3, 2007. The grave of Lemarchal, the little prince of France, is located in the cemetery of his hometown of Sonnaz. On the day of the funeral, more than five thousand Gregory fans arrived in Chambery to honor the memory of Lemarchal.
Lemarchal's creative biography was very short - but in those three years that he performed, he managed to win the hearts of a huge number of people: with his amazing voice, sincerity, greatness of soul and, of course, the courage with which he fought the disease.

Gregory Lemarchal with his beloved Karine

Life line

May 13, 1983 Gregory Lemarchal's date of birth.
1995 Receiving the title of French champion in acrobatic rock and roll.
1999 Participation in television competitions Tremplin des étoiles and Graines de Stars programs.
2003 Participation in the musical "Adam and Eve".
2004 Participation in the fourth season of the Star Academy project, victory in the project.
April 18, 2005 Release of Gregory Lemarchal's first album entitled “I am becoming myself” (Je deviens moi).
January 2006 Receiving the "Discovery of the Year" award at the NRJ Music Awards.
May 2006 Tours in France, Belgium and Switzerland.
January 2007 Deterioration of health.
April 2, 2007 Hospitalization.
April 29, 2007 Placement in an induced coma while awaiting a transplant.
April 30, 2007 Date of death of Lemarchal.
May 3, 2007 Funeral of Gregory Lemarchal.

Memorable places

1. Vives-Eaux Palace, Lemarchal's home during his time at Star Academy.
2. Olympia Concert Hall, where Grégory Lemarchal’s concerts took place in May 2006.
3. Foch Hospital, where Gregory Lemarchal was hospitalized and where the musician died.
4. Cathedral of St. Francis de Sales in Chambery, where Lemarchal’s funeral was held.
5. Cemetery of the town of Sonnaz, where Lemarchal is buried.
6. The city of Aix-les-Bains in France, where Gregorians from different countries meet annually on Friendship Day.

Episodes of life

Gregory Lemarchal was very friendly with singer Lara Fabian. She admitted that it seemed to her that she and Gregory were spiritually very close. Because of their friendship arose rumors that Lemarchal and Fabian were having a love affair, which was not true. After Lemarchal’s death, a video of the singer’s alleged performance began to spread on the Internet after the death of Lara Fabian’s husband, Gregory Lemarchal, when fans began singing to her from the audience On t’aime and Fabian burst into tears of happiness. The signature was erroneous, and besides, this video is from 2002, recorded five years before Gregory's death.

According to the story of doctor Gregory Lemarchal, the young man allegedly voluntarily refused a lung transplant, afraid of losing his voice, choosing the stage rather than life. But this contradicts the book of his mother, Laurence, in which she told how Gregory fought for his life until the last, but, alas, could not wait for donor lungs.

The case of Gregory Lemarchal is alive - after his death, the parents of the talented singer created an association to combat cystic fibrosis, collecting millions of euros in donations in a matter of days. After Lemarchal's death, a movement against cystic fibrosis began in France, and the number of organ donors increased significantly. The Gregorian Society also exists in Russia - fans of the talented young man not only promote his music, but also help children with cystic fibrosis.

Lemarchal's grave is surrounded by flowers all year round

Testaments

“To firmly promise something to yourself is the most difficult challenge. But the most beautiful thing is to accept this challenge.”

“No matter what wounds and endless pain life causes us, the main thing is to keep moving forward and fight.”

Release of the program “Details” in memory of Gregory Lemarchal

Condolences

“Gregory touched me and it had nothing to do with his illness. It was simple, clean and especially bright. I'm not surprised by people's reaction to his departure. This proves that there are still people in this world who hide behind the mask of gloom and insensitivity, but who can be touched by what Gregory carried within himself - something incredibly powerful.”
Lara Fabian, singer

“Gregory’s dedication for the other person he was performing with and for the art was one hundred percent, I have never seen that in any other artist. He was just...an impressive person."
Patrick Bruel, singer

“He had incredible dedication and great spiritual maturity for his age. I was madly attached to him. He was so easy to live and work with! Greg never pretended to be a star when he stopped being a singer."
Ivan Kassar, arranger, musical director

“Sometimes after concerts he left the stage completely exhausted, having given his all, but he still kept a smile on his face and was happy that he could do it. He was an incredibly beautiful person... It’s all so unfair.”
Thierry Suq, concert producer

“He gave a lot of love to his fans and received just as much from them. And he would like to give them much, much more, but this disease even then imposed certain restrictions on him.”
Karin Ferry, presenter, Lemarchal's lover