In the latter part of 2022, the ex-host of The Tonight Show encountered two separate incidents.
Jay Leno has faced a challenging period due to not one, but two significant events that resulted in numerous injuries throughout his body.
Following a destructive car fire incident on November 12 of the prior year, the 73-year-old entertainer found himself at the Grossman Burn Center in West Hills Hospital for a nine-day period. The incident took place as he was working on a vintage car in the garage of his Los Angeles home.
He suffered severe second-and third-degree burns as a consequence. Then, just over a month later on January 27, he sustained injuries while riding a motorcycle, breaking his collarbone and two ribs.
Despite these consecutive setbacks, the comedian, who currently hosts Jay Leno’s Garage and the NBC game show You Bet Your Life, has no intentions of slowing down.
During the premiere of Hot Wheels: Ultimate Challenge, Leno spoke candidly to Page Six about his retirement plans – or lack thereof – and the circumstances that would lead him to step away from public life.
The seasoned late-night host emphasized that he has no retirement plans “unless I have a stroke,” adding that he would only consider slowing down when his health demanded it. He stated, “That’s when you retire – when you have your stroke.”
Leno demonstrated remarkable recovery from both recent accidents. Following his nine-day hospitalization, which involved several grafting procedures, he promptly resumed driving and even returned to the scene of the accidents.
Less than a week later, he made a triumphant comeback on stage at the Comedy Magic Club in Hermosa Beach, California, performing to a sold-out crowd and receiving a standing ovation.
In an interview with People magazine, conducted a month after the car fire incident, the former late-night host shared his thoughts on the mishap. He acknowledged that accidents are commonplace when working with cars but admitted that this incident was more significant.
Leno described the moment when he realized the danger, saying, “I knew how close I was to the pilot light, and I thought, ‘Uh oh.'” While repairing a clogged fuel line in the undercarriage of a 1907 White Steam Car, he ended up getting a “full face of gasoline,” causing his face to feel as if it were on fire.
During his hospital stay, he underwent two skin grafting surgeries to facilitate the growth of healthier skin and received treatments in hyperbaric chambers to aid tissue oxygenation. Leno opted not to take painkillers during this period, considering them a reminder of his mistake rather than a solution.
His family and well-known acquaintances provided immense support during this time. While at the burn center, his 43-year-old wife, Mavis, mentioned that “[John] Travolta gave me a big Italian basket, Tom Selleck sent flowers, and Russell Crowe called from Australia. I’ve been in this industry for a long time, so to experience that affection was very moving.”