Tracy Morgan reflects on ‘fateful’ accident 10 years later (exclusive)

Tracy Morgan looks back on the accident 10 years ago that turned his life completely upside down.

“Today marks 10 years since our fateful accident, and I want to say to everyone who was in the van with me that night: I love you and we miss you, Uncle Jimmy Mac, and God bless your family,” the 55-year-old comedian tells PEOPLE exclusively. “And to the driver that night and his family, I and my comrades forgive you.”

On 7 June 2014, the 30 rocks Alum was involved in a near-fatal accident on the New Jersey Turnpike when a Walmart truck crashed into the back of his sedan. Authorities said the Walmart truck driver had not slept in over 24 hours and if he had not been speeding, he could have stopped his vehicle before impact and the accident would have been avoidable.

James McNair, Morgan’s colleague and mentor, died in the crash at the age of 62. Other passengers were seriously injured. Morgan was in critical condition after breaking his leg and was in a coma for two weeks.

After the accident, Morgan was confined to a wheelchair for five months. He went to rehab at the JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute in Edison, NJ, to learn to talk and walk again. Last floor The star and his then 14-month-old daughter Maven learned to walk together.

“This is magic,” Morgan said of the shared experience in his 2017 Netflix special To stay alive.

His personal goal in physical therapy was to be able to walk down the aisle without a cane at his wedding to Megan Wollover in 2015. (The couple separated five years later.)

Morgan’s family also encouraged him to keep going as he struggled with depression during his recovery.

After his time in rehab, Morgan worked tirelessly on his recovery and slowly recovered. The star opened up about his years-long journey, and in 2017, he told PEOPLE that the accident ultimately motivated him and left him with a “story to tell.”

“If anything bad ever happened to me, I made it funny and made it good,” he said at the time, promoting the Netflix special To stay alive.

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“It was a terrible thing that happened to me. I wanted to tell my story, but I also want to continue my standup career because all the great things that have ever happened to me in my life have been through standup.”

In the special, Morgan spoke openly about his injuries and brain trauma. “I broke every bone in my face, my ribs. I pulverized my femur,” he said. “I come from the ghetto and after I woke up from the coma I was blind for a week, and where I come from you don’t want to be blind for a second. All kinds of shit started disappearing in my hospital room.”

On the fifth anniversary of the crash, Morgan reflected on McNair’s death and what he is grateful for on X (formerly Twitter).

“Not a day goes by that I don’t miss my friend Jimmy Mac who sadly lost his life that night. I love you Jimmy. I thank GOD for my family,” he wrote in 2019.

“I am eternally grateful for the love and support they give me. My wife, my daughter, my sons and my friends have got me back on my feet. I live every day trying to do the right thing for them and make the most of this second chance.”

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In 2020, he told PEOPLE, “I have my good days and I have my bad days. I just want to get well and get healthy.” But most of all, he said at the time, “I’m happy to be alive.”