Call it a comeback! Kevin Hart made his first official appearance since his near-fatal car accident during the People’s Choice Awards on Sunday, November 10.
Two months after being involved in the crash and undergoing spinal surgery, the comedian, 40, got a standing ovation as he accepted the award for Comedy Act of 2019, walking out on stage to the perfect anthem: Kanye West’s “Stronger.”
“First and foremost, thank God because I definitely don’t have to be here,” the Night School actor told the audience at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, California. “Being that I am, it makes me appreciate life even more. It makes me appreciate the things that really matter. Family. I want to thank my wife and kids, who really stepped up to the plate for me.”
On September 1, Hart’s car veered off the Mulholland Highway and landed in a ditch in Malibu. Producer Jared Black and his fiancée, Rebecca Broxterman, were also in the vehicle at the time. A police report obtained by Us Weekly stated that two of the three occupants were trapped in the car, while Hart “left the scene to his nearby residence to get medical attention.”
Sources told Us in October that Hart was making an impressive recovery after the crash. The movie star and standup comedian underwent surgery for three spinal fractures and remained in the hospital for 10 days immediately following the accident.
“He is receiving physical therapy daily,” the source revealed to Us at the time. “He is working very hard to rebuild his strength and come back strong. He can walk on his own but is nowhere near full recovery or ready to do action scenes. He is taking it very slowly.”
The Central Intelligence star thanked his fans on Sunday for standing by his side as he continues to work through the dramatic injuries. “You have no idea the effect you have on us as entertainers, your energy, your support. It means the world and I truly want to thank you guys for being there for me in my difficult time,” Hart said as he graciously accepted his award.
