After nearly dying in a snow plow accident in January, Jeremy Renner is grateful to be walking again.
The Avengers star suffered 30 broken bones on New Year’s Day when he was crushed near his Nevada home while trying to stop his snow-removal tractor from hitting his nephew.
“I just feel very blessed and very lucky to be upright and walk around and to live life,” Renner, 52, told CNN on Monday, October 23. “I’m very, very clear. My life is really lean, if that makes sense. There’s no fat in my life anymore. I don’t have time for that. So, there’s something really beautiful about having that superpower.”
The two-time Oscar nominee endured several months of rehabilitation, and now that he’s recovered, he feels he’s gained something from the traumatic experience.
“There [are] a lot of gifts that I received because of it,” Renner said. “When you’re tested physically, emotionally, spiritually, in every way, and then to come through it, that’s something hard to explain.”
His numerous injuries include eight broken ribs after being run over by his vehicle that weighed over 14,000 pounds. He underwent several surgeries, and was released from the Renown Regional Medical Center on January 17.
In addition to the Avengers franchise, the actor’s prominent roles in other action films require him to have intense strength and physical dexterity. Recovering from the near-fatal accident, however, went beyond rehabbing his body.
“Perseverance. Strength. It’s all a mental game. I put it in my back pocket now. I know how to deal with pain,” Renner continued. “It’s all mind. It’s all in the mind. If you can sift through the fog of it all, I am very blessed.”
Currently starring in the Mayor of Kingston TV series, Renner is also a musician, having released two EPs in 2020 and contributed to several film soundtracks over the years. As he makes his way through his recovery, he’s hoping to release a new project, Love and Titanium, which details “different milestones in my journey of recovery since Jan 1st this year,” the versatile entertainer wrote via Instagram on October 19.
“Love and Titanium has been painful, deeply healing, and ultimately cathartic for me to create,” Renner added. “I hope I get the courage to share with you all.”
