Tracy Morgan spoke for the first time about the fatal car crash that killed one of his friends and nearly killed him a year ago in an exclusive interview on Today.
He and several of his friends were traveling in a limo on the New Jersey Turnpike when they were struck by a Walmart truck. It killed comedian James McNair and injured two of Morgan’s friends, while Morgan broke his leg, several ribs, and suffered severe brain trauma.
Morgan, who sat with a cane in one hand, appeared with his lawyer on Today just days after he settled with Walmart out of court over the crash, which was caused by a truck driver who hadn’t slept in more than 24 hours. At the time, Morgan expressed relief that Walmart “took full responsibility” for the collision.
“I can’t believe I’m here,” Morgan told Matt Lauer. “I can’t believe I’m in front of you. I can’t believe I’m just here and just seeing the tragedy that happened. It touches me.”
Morgan spoke clearly throughout the interview, but he got choked up during parts of it, especially when he spoke about his friend McNair. He doesn’t remember the crash and didn’t even learn about it until after he woke up from a coma two weeks after the accident occurred. It was then he learned about McNair’s death, and the full impact didn’t hit him until he watched video of the crash and McNair’s funeral.
He wants to return to making comedy one day, but right now focusing on his recovery is his priority.
H/T Today | Illustration by Max Fleishman