Six ribs broken in 14 places. Three breaks in the lower pelvis. Right and left ankle broken. Left tibia broken. Left wrist fractured. Left toes, three breaks. Right clavicle broken. Right shoulder blade cracked. Eye socket, jaw, mandible, all broken. Major laceration back of head. Lung collapsed. Liver pierced from rib bone. The inventory of Jeremy Renner’s injuries, documented by the twice Oscar-nominated movie star himself, was exhaustive. It was a miracle that the actor had survived; he had no right to. Renner had been crushed by his own 14,000lb (6,350kg) snowplough on New Year’s Day 2023. A neighbour who helped him at the scene believes he died momentarily. So does Renner. He tells me it was a very special moment.
“What I experienced when I passed was this collective divinity and beautiful, powerful peace. It is the most exhilarating peace you could ever feel. It’s the highest adrenaline rush. Everything stopped … maybe for 30 seconds, maybe a minute. It was definitive for me. It all made perfect sense.” Does he believe in God? “No. My dad’s a theologist and I studied all religions growing up, so I steer away from religions.” […]
But, of course, there was more to it than willpower. Last year, he released his second album of largely self-penned songs. Love and Titanium is about the accident, and so called because these are another two things that have helped him pull through – the love of family and friends, and the titanium that has helped fix all those broken bones. He was also extremely lucky. Nobody gave him much hope at the time. […]
The first song on Love and Titanium is called Lucky Man. “One day you just wake up / And finally realise / Life is so god damn beautiful / And I ain’t got nothin’ left to lose.” Renner tells me that it took him the accident to realise just how beautiful life was. Now, he says, he wakes up and knows he’s not going to have a bad day. No day alive is a bad day. But it didn’t used to be like that.
— Simon Hattenstone, from “How being crushed by a 14,000 lb snow plough made Jeremy Renner a nicer person: I’ve never been more vulnerable, open and loving‘” (The Guardian, Jul 12th, 2025).
My Next Breath: A Memoir by Jeremy Renner is published by Flatiron Books in April 29, 2025.
Why does it take such significant events for us to realize this fact? “No day alive is a bad day”
Truth.
A powerful success story, thank you, David.
It is. Thanks Jet.
Hi David, I listened to his life-changing interview on an ‘Oprah’ podcast where a doctor explores near death (April 29, 2025). I was moved to tears and I still get goose-bumps remembering his words and the emotion in his voice. Thanks for sharing your post and including some of the gems, David. Erica
Thank you Erica. That must have been some interview. I will be sure to look it up.
An amazing recovery – physically for sure, and emotionally, for he took his broken body and found humility- and grace. Truly a lucky, lucky man
So agree!!!!
Ouch! I hurt too much to make a sensible comment.
Right!?!?!
Only God could have saved him from that horrific accident.
Horrible is right. Unimaginable!
I still have a hard time wrapping my head around his survival. when the story emerged about what had happened to him, I really thought that was it for him. I was utterly amazed by his recovery and am not surprised that he was forever transformed.
Right. A miracle!
A powerful reminder to appreciate what we have here and now.
It sure is Val. Thanks.
So glad he survived <3
Me too!
The whole Guardian article is well worth the read. His is a remarkable story!
He, truly knows, that “Each Breath Is A Gift”… I say that Life Comes From The Almighty GOD!
Each breath is a gift! All Christie!