Al Pacino suffered accident that caused penis injury: I thought, God, please take me now

In his new memoir, Sonny Boy, Al Pacino opens up about a painful childhood incident that continues to trouble him even decades later. The legendary actor reveals that he is still "haunted" by a serious injury he suffered when he was 10 years old, growing up in the South Bronx.

Pacino recalls the accident vividly, describing how he was left in agonizing pain, unable to make it home. Fortunately, an older man noticed his distress and carried him to his aunt's house, where a doctor was quickly summoned. Reflecting on the experience, Pacino admits it was "one of the most embarrassing moments" of his life, a memory that has lingered ever since.

"I was walking on a thin, iron fence, doing my tightrope dance," People writes in the book, as reported by People.

"It had been raining all morning, and sure enough, I slipped and fell, and the iron bar hit me directly between my legs.

"I lay there on the bed, with my pants completely down around my ankles as the three women in my life - my mother, my aunt, and my grandmother - poked and prodded at my penis in a semipanic.

"I thought, God, please take me now, as I heard them whispering things to one another as they conducted their inspection.

"To this day I'm haunted by the thought of it."

Pacino's memoir

In the first chapter of Sonny Boy, Pacino uses the incident as an example of his uncanny ability to survive life's challenges, likening himself to "a cat with more than nine lives." This early brush with pain was just the beginning of a life marked by both struggle and resilience.

The memoir is a candid exploration of Pacino's life, from his tumultuous upbringing to his rise in Hollywood. He opens up about deeply personal moments, including his mother's attempted suicide, and recounts the mischief he found himself in New York City as a young boy.