Jeremy Renner opens up about life-threatening snowplow accident: “I chose to survive”
ABC have shared a preview of Jeremy Renner’s first on-camera interview since his devastating snowplow accident in January – an hourlong special airing next Thursday (April 6) – with the Marvel Cinematic Universe star declaring that he “chose to survive” in the wake of life-threatening injuries.
On January 1, it was reported Renner had suffered “a weather related accident while plowing snow” at his home in Reno; he was airlifted to hospital, where he was said to be in a “critical but stable” condition. The actor then underwent surgery and gave his first public update some two weeks later, with his family “positive” about his prospects for recovery. He finally made it home on January 17.
Over the following weeks, more details about Renner’s accident were revealed: in addition to blunt chest trauma and various orthopaedic injuries, he broke more than 30 bones during the incident, when he was crushed by a snowplow in an effort to save his nephew (Renner later shared the handwritten note his nephew gave him after the accident).
February then saw Renner vow to do “whatever it takes” to recover from his injuries, and earlier this month, he reunited with the snowplow that crushed him.
In his upcoming interview with ABC journalist Diane Sawyer (subtitled A Story Of Terror, Survival And Triumph), Renner will unpack the incident in intimate detail. In the offical preview for the special, shared yesterday (March 29), the actor said he “was awake for every moment” of the incident, and declared proudly that he’d “do it again” to save his nephew.
Said nephew also appears in the interview, at one point explaining the moment he saw Renner after the accident: “I just perfectly see him in a pool of blood coming from his head, and I ran up to him… You know, I didn’t think he was alive.”
Have a look at the preview below:
It’s explained in a clip from the special that Renner broke eight ribs in 14 places, as well as at least nine other crucial bones – his right knee, ankle, clavicle and shoulder, left tibia and ankle, eye socket, mandible and jaw – and had a lung collapse when it was pierced by his rib bone (which also hit his liver).
Also set to be included in the special is footage of Renner in hospital and recovering, as well as the 911 call that his nephew made when he was discovered. “I chose to survive,” he said towards the end of the preview; “You’re not going to kill me! No way! I’ve lot a lot of flesh and bone in this experience, but I’ve been refuelled and refilled with love and titanium.”
Jeremy Renner: The Diane Sawyer Interview: A Story Of Terror, Survival And Triumph will air on ABC at 9pm central next Thursday, with a simultaneous release on Disney+ and Hulu.
Renner most recently starred as Mike McClusky in the Paramount+ series Mayor Of Kingstown, and reprised his longtime role as Hawkeye in the titular Disney+ series. He also made an uncredited cameo in last year’s Knives Out sequel Glass Onion.
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Ellie Robinson
NME
