It was February 18, 2016, when the sudden death of the then 32-year-old Pantelis Pantelidis became known, after a car accident on Vouliagmenis Avenue.
The news of the singer's death had spread sadness in the artistic world and beyond. Television shows, news sites and social media had been "buzzing" with the tragic car accident that claimed the life of Pantelis Pantelidis. The 32-year-old was driving his car in the early hours of February 18th, when it veered off course, crashing into the protective barriers of Vouliagmeni Avenue.
No one could have imagined that such a young man, loved by so many people and with such talent, would "leave" at the peak of his career. Pantelis Pantelidis very quickly won the hearts of the world through his songs, and from the man who played the guitar and sang in his room, he came to have a very important role in modern Greek music.
Since then until today (17.02.2025) 9 years have passed, however his absence remains felt. Pantelis Pantelidis left his own mark by making great artists still perform his songs in his honor and talk about his great talent.
Born and raised in Nea Ionia with origins from Asia Minor, Pantelis Pantelidis became known in 2010 through the YouTube platform, where he uploaded his videos, singing and playing the guitar, with the aim of not forgetting them.
Within 2 years, his videos went viral by Greek standards, with his fans downloading and learning all the lyrics to the songs that later became huge hits.
During his presence in the music scene, 48 songs that he had written himself were recorded in the studio, of which 6 were sung by other artists such as Paola, Yiannis Ploutarchos, Eleni Hatzidou, Amaryllis and Irini Papadopoulou.
In fact, he had been in nightclubs alongside huge names in the Greek repertoire such as the legendary Vasilis Karras, Paola and others.
The moving story of Antonis Remos
One of Pantelis Pantelidis' artists and friends, Antonis Remos, in a previous guest appearance
"Pantelidis had a truth inside him. He was neither the greatest lyricist nor the greatest composer. He would play four chords. He would play five words. However, the way he played the words was unique. It was like rapping. He was a rapper in the folk genre... Stories that he had lived with a girl, he had broken up with her, and his songs were experiential."
We are traveling with Pantelis and two other friends from Thessaloniki and he puts on and we listen to the songs. And then he has a song, “I drink from up there for you”.
He says, I wrote it for a friend who was killed. I tell him, "Can I tell you something? This is your piece." And unfortunately, years later it became his piece, when Pantelis left."
"I was angry because his soul was wounded"
Roussetos Dimitroglou recently confessed that "every day is the same day, almost. 9 years have passed but it's the same thing. It was a tsunami. Pantelis was not protected by any system, as is the case with some singers at the moment, it was against him. The system had simply handed over its weapons, as well as the radios."
"Now I wouldn't be making my own songs without Pantelis being in my life. Back then it was very difficult because I was working on the song, I was lost in the song and I had his voice. When I finished, I always emailed him the song so he could listen to it and tell me his opinion. That was the shocking thing, that was the destruction of my soul."
"I got angry because his soul was wounded. He drank, okay, but that week was strange. Pantelis was very hurt by everything he had heard and I tried to protect him, but it was very difficult. When everyone hangs you on clothespins for something they made up from their own mind," added Roussetos Dimitroglou on camera for the Weekenders show.
"Pantelis believed so much in himself, he had incredible self-confidence. I fell in love with everything he is. Kind, talented. He had a penetrating gaze, he transformed everything he heard into music. I owe the beginning of my career to him. He wrote me "Worse" it was the only song he wrote for me," Eleni Hatzidou had said, moved.
"If I had known, I wouldn't have gotten into his car"
Mina Arnaouti, who was in Pantelis Pantelidis' car when the fatal accident occurred, had spoken about the trial of the lawsuit for compensation from the traffic accident.
"My health cannot be restored and become like before because with all the crushing fractures I have pain. After 17 surgeries, I take painkillers to sleep. I have a disability that just doesn't show. At the KEPA they found me with 43% disability. I can't stand up for 8 hours. I haven't managed to erase the day of the accident from my mind.
"I am asking for compensation not to take a vacation but because I have incurred some expenses for 5 months in the hospital. My mom left her job in Mytilene to be with me. The court did not approve that I have a loss of income at first instance because I was not insured at the store where I worked," he said last summer.
And he added: "The court gave me less than the 90.000 euros I requested for the surgeries. Is the money I'm claiming for 17 surgeries a lot? I've put the maximum amount in, but of course I won't take it."
"I could sell it and win people over and have them feel sorry for me, have cameras take pictures of me as I enter the operating rooms with a wheelchair. I didn't want to show that my life was ruined. They criticized me on social media. I even received threats from prison that they would come out and kill me from anonymous profiles."
"I keep seeing the accident in front of me. I have various phobias and post-traumatic stress, I can't go on a trip, I'm afraid if I don't know the driver," he said.
"I have not spoken to the Pantelidis family. They took 11.000 euros from me, rightfully so, but I have also filed a lawsuit for defamation for some of the things they were putting up. If I had known, I would not have gotten into the car. Pantelis did not seem drunk," he concluded.
Source: newsit
