Jean-Dominique Bauby

Writer · Cast

Born

April 23, 1952 · Paris, France

Died

March 9, 1997

French journalist and editor of Elle magazine. In 1995 a cerebrovascular accident (stroke)left him almost totally paralyzed and speechless, a rare condition called locked-in-syndrome. He could barely move his lips, utter a few grunts, and blink his left eyelid. He authored the book The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (Le Scaphandre et Le Papillon), where he narrates his experience under his rare condition. He dictated his book letter by letter, blinking at the correct letter while a writer recited the alphabet. He died only days after his book was published.