Sam Smith reveals he could no longer walk after a skiing accident

Published: 5:08 p.m. PDT, July 21, 2024

Sam Smith says they are no longer able to walk after a skiing accident and have suffered “permanent” damage.

In a recent episode of Offside In a podcast, the 32-year-old “Latch” singer – who uses the pronouns “they”/”them” – explained that he tore his ACL after a tragic accident earlier this year and had to be rescued from a ski slope.

“I completely tore my anterior cruciate ligament skiing. I was an idiot and went on a black run on the second day,” Smith told podcast hosts Annie Macmanus and Nick Grimshaw in the July 18 episode.

They continued: “I was taken away in a blood bag. That was the worst. That is a permanent thing.”

According to the “Unholy” singer, who spotted by paparazzi walking with stick and wearing a knee brace – the anterior cruciate ligament was completely torn and they could no longer walk or move significantly.

“It sits between the bones and helps you jump and hop around. It completely tore and I opted for non-surgical treatment, but I couldn’t walk with that leg for a month and it was horrible,” Smith said. “It was the first time I couldn’t move at all and I had a bit of weight on it. I was very nervous. I used it as an excuse to pull myself together.”

ACL injuries, according to the Cleveland Clinicare incredibly painful and in many cases surgery is required to repair the tear. Recovery time can vary, but for some it can take up to a year to recover.

Smith has taken a break from making music and says they’ve used the time off to recover both physically and mentally, including cleaning up their social media and starting over virtually (read: new phone, who’s that?).

“I just threw away my phone and got a new one. It’s the first time I haven’t had my music library that I’ve had since I was 11,” they said. “I started again – completely over. I needed an American number and my phone was full of people like ex-boyfriends and all these different people from the past few years.”

The singer and style lover added: “And I’ve turned off social media. Everything. It’s crazy. Now I sit on benches in parks and just look at the trees.”

Cheers and get well soon!

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