Shakira’s Father Hospitalized in Barranquilla ICU Due to Serious Health Condition
William Mebarak Chadid, father of Colombian singer Shakira, has been hospitalized in a clinic in Barranquilla, according to El Heraldo. The 92-year-old man is reportedly suffering from pneumonia and was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of the Iberoamerican Clinic on Wednesday night.
Mebarak has been hospitalized several times in Barranquilla and Barcelona due to various health issues. In August 2022, after Shakira announced her separation from former footballer Gerard Piqué, Mebarak fell and was hospitalized in Barcelona for several days.
The artist has not commented on the situation yet, but it is expected that she will travel to Barranquilla in the coming hours to check on her father’s health. The last time Shakira’s father was seen in public was on December 26 at the Malecón del Río, where a statue in honor of the singer was unveiled.
The statue, measuring 6.20 meters in height and made of bronze, was inaugurated on December 25 in Barranquilla. It was created by artist Yino Márquez, sculptor and coordinator of the programs of Plastic Arts at the District School of Art and Popular Traditions (EDA).
The massive statue, which depicts Shakira’s look from the iconic 2005 music video “Hips Don’t Lie,” was unveiled in the morning at the Grand Malecón of Barranquilla. The unveiling coincided with the 74th birthday of Nidia Ripoll, Shakira’s mother, who was present at the event along with William Mebarak, and their reactions have gone viral on social media.