Philippe Pozzo Di Borgo: The True Story Behind The Intouchables

Philippe Pozzo di Borgo was a French businessman and aristocrat whose life changed completely in 1993 when a paragliding accident left him a quadriplegic. While his story inspired the global box office hit film The Intouchables and its American remake The Upside, the real narrative goes far beyond Hollywood dramatization. It is a profound account of unexpected friendship, mutual redemption, and navigating physical and emotional isolation.

Born into an old noble Corsican family, Pozzo di Borgo lived a life of immense privilege, managing luxury champagne houses like Moët & Chandon and Pommery. However, the 1993 accident on Mount Bisanne broke his spine, plunging him into severe physical pain and psychological despair. The subsequent hiring of Abdel Sellou—an ex-convict with an abrasive personality—created an unorthodox partnership that rescued both men from their respective margins of society.

The Aristocratic Roots and Corporate Life

Before the accident that defined his public legacy, Philippe Pozzo di Borgo was a high-achieving corporate executive born on February 14, 1951, in Tunis. Descended from an ancient lineage of dukes, he grew up immersed in elite European circles. He inherited the historic Hôtel de Maisons in Paris and spent his early career scaling the corporate ladder in the French beverage industry.

Life moved at a high-pressure pace. As a director at Pommery, Pozzo di Borgo was accustomed to absolute control over his environment. That control vanished on a snowy day in December 1993. Distracted by heavy business stress—specifically the painful decision to close a subsidiary and lay off workers—he launched into the air while paragliding. A sudden collapse of his canopy caused a catastrophic crash in the Savoyard mountains.

The Accident and the Darkest Years

The crash fractured his cervical vertebrae, leaving him paralyzed from the neck down. He spent months in hospitals enduring grueling medical interventions and chronic phantom nerve pain. The psychological toll proved even heavier than the physical paralysis.

Compounding his suffering, his wife, Béatrice, was diagnosed with cancer. For years, she cared for him while fighting her own terminal illness. During this period of intense despair, Pozzo di Borgo confronted deep suicidal ideation. Béatrice passed away in 1996, leaving him isolated in a massive Parisian townhouse, dependent on round-the-clock professional assistance. Caretakers came and went, unable to break through his melancholic detachment.

Enter Abdel Sellou: The Unlikely Caregiver

To qualify for state benefits following a prison stint for theft, a young Algerian immigrant named Abdel Sellou was required to attend job interviews. Sellou had no intention of actually working as a medical aide; he simply needed proof that he was actively seeking employment so he could avoid returning to jail.

When Sellou walked into Pozzo di Borgo’s mansion for an interview, he didn't offer polite condolences or pity. Instead, he was brash, unfiltered, and unapologetic.

• No Pity: Pozzo di Borgo had grown exhausted by caregivers who treated him like fragile glass. Sellou treated him like a normal human being, cracking dark jokes about his disability.
• Mutual Need: Pozzo di Borgo famously noted that both men were disabled—he physically, and Sellou socially, emerging from a life of crime and prison.
• Fearlessness: Sellou showed zero fear of the medical equipment, the quadriplegia, or the impending death of Pozzo di Borgo's wife.

Pozzo di Borgo hired him immediately, initiating a partnership that lasted years.

Life Together: Breaking the Rules

The dynamic between the aristocratic executive and the street-smart immigrant transformed both of their lives. Instead of a sterile clinical environment, Pozzo di Borgo’s home became a space of roaring laughter, fast cars, and rule-breaking escapades.

They modified Pozzo di Borgo's motorized wheelchair to run at high speeds, racing through the streets of Paris. In a famous recurring prank immortalized on film, Sellou would drive Pozzo di Borgo's luxury Maserati at reckless speeds until traffic police pulled them over. Once cornered, Pozzo di Borgo would fake a medical seizure, convincing panicked police officers to provide a high-speed escort to the nearest hospital.

Sellou brought excitement back into a life that had been defined by hospital beds and grief. In return, Pozzo di Borgo provided stability, mentorship, and a genuine home, helping Sellou transition away from crime.

Transition, Memoir, and Later Years

Eventually, both men moved on to new chapters. Sellou left his role as a caregiver to settle down, marry, and start a family, eventually running a successful poultry farm in Algeria. Pozzo di Borgo remarried to a woman named Khadija and moved to Morocco, finding peace in North Africa.

In 2001, Pozzo di Borgo published his bestselling memoir, Le Second Souffle (Second Wind), detailing how Sellou saved his life. The book caught the attention of filmmakers Olivier Nakache and Eric Toledano, who adapted the story into the 2011 French cultural phenomenon Intouchables. The film grossed over $400 million globally, resonating with audiences for its raw honesty regarding disability, class, and human connection.

In July 2012, the French government recognized his resilience by appointing him a Knight of the Legion of Honour. Philippe Pozzo di Borgo passed away on June 1, 2023, at the age of 72, leaving behind a legacy that challenged societal perceptions of strength, vulnerability, and interdependence. You can read more about his historical family background and public contributions via Wikipedia.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did Philippe Pozzo di Borgo really try to commit suicide?

Yes. In his memoir A Second Wind, Pozzo di Borgo candidly shared that during the peak of his physical agony and emotional trauma in 1993, he attempted to end his life by wrapping an oxygen tube around his neck. The attempt failed, and he later found a renewed reason to live through his unconventional friendship with Abdel Sellou.

How accurate is the movie adaptation The Intouchables?

The film captures the core truth of their dynamic—an aristocratic quadriplegic hiring an unfiltered ex-convict who refuses to pity him. However, filmmakers altered minor details for narrative flow. For instance, Abdel's character in the French film was named Driss (and Dell in the American version), and his background was slightly conflated with elements from other urban youth experiences in Paris.

What happened to Abdel Sellou after he stopped working as a caregiver?

After leaving his position with Pozzo di Borgo, Abdel returned to his native Algeria with financial support and mentorship from his former employer. He married, had three children, and built a successful agricultural career running a poultry farm. The two men remained lifelong friends and kept in regular contact until Pozzo di Borgo's death.

Where did Philippe Pozzo di Borgo spend his final years?

After marrying his second wife, Khadija, Pozzo di Borgo relocated to Essaouira, Morocco. He spent his final decades managing his health, writing, and advocating for dignity and support systems for disabled individuals around the world.