“The first ultrasound seemed to indicate that it was a boy, although Gian wanted a girl,” Sharon Fonseca and Gianluca Vacchi told us when she was three months pregnant. To the couple’s surprise, and Vacchi’s dream, it turns out the baby was a girl! They have named her Blu Jerusalema. She poses with her parents for the first time in their Bolognese home, where they are going to spend Christmas with Sharon’s family. For Gianluca, a viral phenomenon and a true “King Midas” of business, these holidays are, indisputably, very different.
The Italian businessman and the Venezuelan model became parents on October 27, 2020. Since then, their happiness has grown with the birth of baby Blu. On Mother’s Day, Sharon and Gianluca shouted to the whole world that they would be parents.
During this exclusive interview and the spectacular photo shoot held in Italy, the eccentric 53-year-old millionaire explains the unique and powerful meaning of the girl’s name for the first time.
Gianluca revealed that Blu Jerusalema was born with what is clinically known as “cleft palate.” Therefore, one of his immediate projects is to collaborate with foundations that help families with children born with the same condition.
“Despite the times that all of us have had to live, I feel that Blu came home with great peace and serenity.”
These Christmas holidays have a very special meaning for you, right?
Of course. They already are because of the current situation that the world is experiencing due to the pandemic. It is very special because of the birth of our daughter, apart from the fact that these Holidays have a very deep meaning for us.
Above all, it has been a great life change.
Totally, and despite the times that all of us have had to live, I feel that Blu came home with great peace and serenity.
Why did you call her Blu Jerusalema? That is not an ordinary name.
The whole story begins in the last chapter of the Bible, where it speaks of the Jerusalem of the Apocalypse, which meant “revelation” and not the end, as is popularly believed. A promised land where there was no death or pain, only life, peace, joy and smiles, but that had no sea because they were afraid of it, since it represented the unknown. So, by calling our daughter Blu, we wanted to bring, metaphorically speaking, the sea to Jerusalem, in this way, to remove fear from our lives and bring us the kingdom of happiness in this life.
Is it safe to assume that you’re a religious man?
In a way, yes, I am.
What was the first thing you thought when you held Blu in your arms?
I was the first to hold her, since I was next to Sharon during the cesarean section. Although, if I have to be honest, I was more aware of everything that was happening with the c-section and the doctors, making sure everything went well for Sharon (laughs). Yes, yes, it’s true - Sharon acknowledges with a smile - she was looking at her. Seeing the girl for the first time - remembers Gianluca - was a moment of enormous emotion. He could only cry and cry. He only managed to say: “She is doing well and she is beautiful, ‘amore.’”
Sharon, what did you think at the time?
The emotion I felt when Gianlu gave me our daughter was indescribable. At that moment, I felt that the world was falling on me and that nothing was worrying me. In the operating room, and with so many doctors around me, I practically did not realize anything, but when I saw Gianlu with Blu I forgot about everything else. “Excitement, curiosity and some tension”
Gianluca and Sharon, at home in Bologna, where they introduced us to Blu Jerusalem. Born last November, Blu is seen sleeping peacefully (left) in the arms of her mother. A large garland of blue roses forming the letter “B” among many other details, welcomed the little girl.
Was it a scheduled cesarean section?
Everything was planned for Blu to come into the world naturally, but, after three days of labor, in the end a cesarean section had to be done. The doctor told me that, had I insisted on a natural delivery, which was what I wanted from the first moment, there could have been a danger not only for the girl, but also for me. Thank goodness it was the best decision we made.
Gianluca, were you nervous?
Although I was able to remain calm in the most important moments of my life, when Blu was about to come into the world I was excited and was very curious to see my daughter’s face. I also had a certain tension, although everything was very controlled and the doctors deserved my complete trust.
“When I saw my daughter for the first time, I could only cry and cry.” Gianluca Vacchi only managed to say to Sharon: “She is doing ok and she is beautiful, amore,” confessed the eccentric billionaire and “King Midas” of finance.</br>
Were you impatient to see your baby?
Yes, very much! I wanted to see my daughter as soon as possible and take her to her mother right away. I’ll take this moment to tell you that Blu was born with an open palate, which is clinically known as a “cleft palate”. That was a very strong blow for both of us. When they told me, my head, my soul and my heart immediately went with Blu, but also with all the children who can have the same condition and who are not lucky enough of having resources like us. For this reason, one of our immediate projects will be to collaborate with foundations that help families with children born with the same condition as Blu, such as, for example, Operation Smile. We are going to get 100% involved.
“It was a very strong blow when we were told that Blu was born with an open palate, which is clinically known as a ‘cleft palate.’” – Gianluca Vacchi
Blu’s condition can be solved surgically, correct?
Yes, the operation consists of opening the palate and suturing the muscles that did not close naturally during pregnancy. But, of course, it is a surgery that involves anesthesia, and Blu is only a few months old. Although the doctors have explained to us that once the problem is corrected, she will be able to lead a completely normal life. “Thank God, she looks a lot more like her mother.”
Sharon, how do you see him as a father?
I never doubted that he would be a great father, but seeing him in action exceeds all my expectations and more: how he takes her in his arms, how he holds her to change her, feed her ...
Gianluca, are you afraid of holding her when she’s so tiny?
At first, yes, because you see her so small and so fragile ... but the fear left me right away, after the doctors taught me how to do it.
“We have named her Blu Jerusalema because in the Bible, Jerusalem is spoken of as a land without suffering, without pain, in which only good things happened, and Blu brings the sea closer to Jerusalem,” Sharon, twenty five years old and Gianluca, fifty three, as they pose with their daughter.” – Gianluca Vacchi</br>
Gianluca, is your rhythm of life and work going to change from now on?
Honestly, I have never thought about slowing down after Blu’s birth because life has to go on and I’m full of projects and ideas. What I do have to try is to combine my work with dedicating as much time as possible to my daughter to see her grow up and be with her. It is also true that we have help with the child and that makes things much easier. Gianlu is very involved with Blu, really - Sharon says. Yes, I feed her, she sleeps on my chest, I sing to her ... But it is the mother who is with the child the most in the first months - says the businessman.
Are you going to get a new tattoo for your daughter?
Sharon, her parents, her sister ... we are all going to get a tattoo of Blu’s name. And I, who am a bit eccentric, am going to tattoo the imprint of her hand. I don’t know if it’ll be inside mine, on my neck or on my heart.
Blu’s surprising room is as if her parents had recreated it from the one from “Alice in Wonderland”
The room that Gianluca and Sharon have prepared for their daughter looks like something out of a fairytale, as you can see in the photos: a large hot air balloon that acts as a sofa, the wooden ceiling, the windows, the wallpapers… “I never doubted that Gianlu would make a great father, but seeing him in action exceeds all my expectations… and more. How he takes her in his arms, how he holds her to change her, how he feeds her ... ”– Sharon Fonseca
Sharon, would you repeat the experience of being a mother, living what you lived through?
Yes, because I am living a dream. I enjoy every second so much that I would do it a thousand times (laughs).Yes. They will spend Christmas and New Year’s here and then they will go to Miami again. Although, we will have to see with the guidelines that they are given regarding displacement.
Is your family with you now?
Yes. They will spend Christmas and New Year’s here and then they will go to Miami again. Although, we will have to see with the guidelines that they are given regarding displacement.
“Although I already feel married to Sharon, I would like my daughter to grow up in a traditional family and yes, I would marry, above all, for Sharon” – Gianluca Vacchi
Gianluca, speaking of Miami, are you going to move there soon?
Yes. It’s already decided. We have bought an incredible house. We are going to live in the amazing house we bought in Miami, where Sharon and I met. Until Blu is five years old, we will be there for six months and the other six in Italy.
Will it be your main house?
It is going to be very difficult because, until now, I have part of my company and my businesses here, in Italy, and I cannot abandon them. But our idea is that the girl grows up half the time in Miami, where her mother and I met. It is a place that we both love and also, the climate is perfect for me because I want to live with the sun, the heat and the sea. So surely the girl will go to school in Miami. Until Blu is five years old, we will spend five or six months in Miami and five or six here.
What’s a normal day for you?
First I’d like to make a point and that is that my life, like that of many others, changed due to COVID, in the sense that I traveled a lot around the world and now I have had to temporarily suspend it. But, while I am preparing new projects, I am cycling on an infrared bike that I invented and call the “Enjoy Bike.” In this way, I prepare my body to play paddle, a sport of which I am a fan. There isn’t a day in my life where you do not see me playing. I think that I am the only man who has two courts in his house, one indoor and one outdoor.
Now that there are three of you, has the idea of getting married ever crossed your mind?
Although I already feel married to Sharon, I would like my daughter to grow up in a traditional family and yes, I would marry, above all, for Sharon. Of course, you have to leave a place for surprise because, otherwise, it would not be me. I mean turning up one day with a ring and saying, “Sharon, will you marry me right now?” On the other hand, I would like to wait for Blu to be a little older so that she can be there and remember the wedding of her parents.
