On New Year’s Day 2023, actor Jeremy Renner’s life changed forever. While clearing heavy snow at his Lake Tahoe home after a massive storm, Renner was involved in a devastating accident with his 16,000-pound snowcat.
In a split-second decision to protect his nephew from being crushed, Renner was pulled under the machine and run over entirely — suffering 38 broken bones, a collapsed lung, and a crushed skull.
In new interview with Joe Rogan, Renner described the moment of impact in chilling detail.
"It felt like being struck by lightning and drowning at the same time," he said. "The first wheel crushed my skull — I felt each undulation of the six wheels after that. By the sixth, I was just hoping it would finish."
Despite the horrifying trauma, Renner remained conscious. He vividly recalled seeing his own dislodged eye with his remaining good eye, thinking instinctively, "Maybe I can save it if I keep it on ice."
Amazingly, Renner’s spine and major organs were spared — a medical miracle considering the weight and force of the snowcat. Doctors initially feared he would lose his leg and his eye, but thanks to a specialist surgeon who rushed back from vacation to operate, Renner's body was painstakingly reconstructed with titanium plates and screws — many of which remain permanently implanted.
Recovery became an all-consuming mission. "My entire life, every thought, every cell, was directed toward getting better," he told Rogan. "Parenting, work, everything else had to wait." Small milestones — like being able to sit up, stand, and eventually walk — fueled his determination. The faces of his family, especially his daughter, gave him strength. "Every time I stood up or made progress, their faces got a little less horrified — sometimes even joyful."
Today, Renner shows almost no outward signs of the accident. He walks without a limp and speaks with renewed spirit. "I don't know what 'normal' is anymore," he said, smiling. "But spiritually and mentally, I'm 150%. Physically, I feel like I'm better than before — because I have a purpose now. What's the alternative? Giving up was never an option."
