Jeremy Renner details ‘tiny but monumental’ mistake that caused horrific 2023 snowplow accident

SIERRA NEVADA, CALIFORNIA: Jeremy Renner has opened up about the horrifying snowplow accident on New Year’s Day 2023 that almost took his life.

The actor, known for his roles in 'The Avengers' and 'Hawkeye', shares intimate details of the accident in his upcoming memoir, revealing how a "tiny but monumental" mistake changed the course of his life forever.

Jeremy Renner's 'tiny but monumental' slip that led to his accident

Jeremy Renner’s life-altering accident occurred outside his Lake Tahoe home where he was operating a massive 14,000-pound snowcat snowplow to help clear the path, along with his nephew, Alexander Fries.

As per Daily Mail, in the memoir, 'My Next Breath', Renner describes the moment that led to the devastating chain of events.

He said that when he realized his nephew faced the risk of being crushed by the huge vehicle, he had to act instinctively to save the boy.

"'Before exiting the driver’s cab! — Apply parking brake', the manual says. But I didn’t engage the parking brake or disengage the steel tracks. In that moment — an innocent, critical, life-changing moment — that tiny but monumental slip of the mind would change the course of my life for ever," Renner wrote in his book.

Without thinking twice, the 54-year-old actor jumped out of the snowplow to rescue his nephew.

But in a tragic twist, Renner revealed, “My feet lost their grip on the moving tracks, and I never made it to the cab. I lurched violently forward, out of control."

In a split second, the actor was "catapulted off the spinning metal tracks", his arms "flailing" as he was thrown onto the hard-packed ice below.

The impact was devastating. “I arced over the front of the tracks, propelled forward, down onto the hard-packed ice, where my head hit the ground hard and instantly gashed open," he wrote.

Jeremy Renner recalls horrifying 'crunching sounds' as he was trapped beneath snowplow

What followed was a horror Jeremy Renner would never forget.

As he lay trapped beneath the immense weight of the snowplow, the sounds of his body being crushed by the machinery were indescribable.

“There came terrible crunching sounds as 14,000lbs of galvanized steel machinery slowly, inexorably, monotonously, ground over my body. It was a horrifying soundtrack,” he recalled.

Reportedly, Renner sustained 38 broken bones, a collapsed lung, and a pierced liver from one of his broken ribs.

Miraculously, his nephew was able to administer aid until emergency responders arrived, and Renner was airlifted to the hospital.

He spent over two weeks in the hospital and underwent multiple surgeries. Despite the severity of his injuries, the resilient actor has since made an incredible recovery.

Jeremy Renner's near-fatal accident teaches him life lesson

Despite the ordeal, Jeremy Renner has maintained a profound sense of gratitude for his survival, saying he would “go through it all over again” to save his nephew.

"I’ve lost a lot of flesh and bone, but I have been refueled and refilled with love – and titanium," Renner humorously shared, demonstrating his unwavering optimism in the aftermath of the accident.

Writing the memoir has been a therapeutic process for Renner. “It’s part of my life every day,” he told People.

“It’s always a wonderful reminder of the strength of the human spirit and how fragile the body is and how bada** it is at recovery."

Through the writing process, Renner came to understand the immense mental and physical toll the event took, not only on him but on his nephew, Alex, who witnessed the horrific incident.

Renner reflected on how his nephew has been affected by what he saw, admitting, "I put images in that kid’s head he cannot unsee."

However, he’s also found healing through the experience, saying, “If I get better, then he’ll get better… so I’m going to do anything I can to get better."

Through it all, Renner said, "I am reminded of my new reality, and it’s wonderfully positive," he said. "I didn’t die."

It’s this resilience, this deep-rooted appreciation for life, that continues to fuel his remarkable recovery and his journey forward.

Renner, who has since returned to work, is currently filming 'Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery,' the third installment of the 'Knives Out' series.

Meanwhile, his memoir 'My Next Breath' will release on April 29.