Jeremy Renner expressed “love, respect, and gratitude” this New Year to everyone who was there for him during the actor’s horrible snow plow accident that nearly got him killed on Jan. 1, 2023.
The Mayor of Kingstown star, 53, took to Instagram on January 1 to commemorate the anniversary of the incident he now calls his “ReBirthday.”
“Happy New Year blessings to you all…,” Renner wrote alongside a photo of himself in a hospital bed, surrounded by his medical team. “Ringing in my second ‘ReBirthday’ today.”
Renner reflected on the support he received during his recovery.
“I send out my love, respect, and gratitude for the army of people that it took to put me back together again,” he shared.
“Thank you to each and every nurse, doctor, first responder… I literally owe you my life.”
The actor also acknowledged the efforts of his nephew Alex Fries and his neighbors, who quickly came to his aid on the icy morning of the accident.
“All my heart goes out to my beautiful, brave nephew and the angels (my neighbors) who jumped to my aid and endured the chaos for 45 long minutes on the icy asphalt New Year’s morning,” he wrote.
“I’m so sorry for all the haunting images I imprinted on you all.”
Renner’s gratitude extended to the global outpouring of love and prayers that sustained him through his recovery.
“My gratitude list is very long… with the amount of love and prayers that flooded in from you all around the world (needing each and every one of them), my family never leaving my side, with some divine intervention, a bit of luck, and a whole lot of miracles… I stand strong again,” he wrote.
He ended the post with a hopeful message, “More Open. More Loved. More Connected. And f—— BLESSED to take my next step, to take MY NEXT BREATH. Thank you with every fiber and cell in my body. I love you ALL. #MyNextBreath.”
The accident, which occurred on January 1, 2023, left Renner in critical condition after being struck by a seven-ton snowplow at his home near Reno, Nevada. Renner had been using the plow to clear snow and tow a car stuck on an icy road when the incident occurred.
As his nephew Alex Fries detached the car from the plow, Renner leaned out to check on his safety but failed to set the parking brake. When the vehicle began to roll, Renner attempted to jump back in but was pulled under the massive machine.
The injuries were severe, including life-threatening blunt chest trauma, a collapsed lung, a lacerated liver, and more than 30 broken bones. Despite being discharged from the hospital two weeks later, Renner faced months of recovery, including relearning how to walk.
Reflecting on his ordeal during an interview with Diane Sawyer, Renner summed up his determination, “I chose to survive.”