Jeremy Renner is profoundly grateful for his brush with death and the subsequent gift of a second chance at life. However, initially, the star of The Avengers harbored resentment towards being resuscitated following a harrowing snowplow accident in 2023 that shattered 30 of his bones and temporarily dislodged his left eyeball. During a May 21 appearance on Kelly Ripa's "Let's Talk Off Camera" podcast, he confessed, "I didn't want to return. I was brought back, and I was incredibly furious."
On New Year's Day 2023, Renner's body was trapped beneath a 14,000-pound PistenBully snow groomer for a harrowing 30 minutes before rescuers arrived. "I died before they got there," he revealed to Ripa. "I was so weary of breathing. It's an unparalleled, exhilarating peace. Your vision narrows to the essence of your being—your atomic self, your DNA, your spirit. It's akin to the ultimate adrenaline rush, but the accompanying peace is breathtaking, magical."
Upon regaining consciousness, Renner confronted the stark reality of his condition. "I awoke and saw my eyeball again," the 54-year-old recounted. "I thought, 'Oh, it's still here.' Then I looked at my legs and realized, 'Yeah, those are going to ache later.' I said to myself, 'Alright, keep breathing.'"
More than two years later, Renner harbors a renewed perspective on life. "This experience has been a powerful affirmation," he said. "It transforms a man who didn't want to return into one who cherishes his second chance, living life as the captain of his own ship. I will live on my own terms, for no one else."
This newfound perspective prioritizes the most precious aspects of life, such as his 12-year-old daughter Ava Renner, whom he shares with his ex-partner Sonni Pacheco. "The idea of valuing superficial matters as I did before the accident is nauseating," the actor continued. "Why did I assign such significance to things devoid of worth? Now, I invest in love and the relationships that nurture it, for they are the only constants we carry with us."
