Renner says he died back in New Year’s Day 2023 after the terrifying snow plow accident.

American actor Jeremy Renner’s life-altering accident that nearly put and end to his life took place on January 1, 2023. At his home near Lake Tahoe, Nevada, Renner was critically injured in a freak snow plow incident involving a 14,000-pound PistenBully snowcat. 

Two years after the tragic incident, Renner—better known for his role as Hawkeye in the Marvel Cinematic Universe—has revealed new details about the accident in his new memoir, “My Next Breath”, including the fact he died. 

A Heroic Act Turned Tragic

Renner was using the snowplow to clear snow from his driveway and help free his nephew’s car, which had become stuck after a snowstorm. After stepping out of the vehicle to speak with his nephew, the snowcat began rolling—in a split-second decision, Renner attempted to climb back into the driver’s seat to stop it from hitting his nephew. Tragically, he was pulled under the tracks and crushed by the massive machine.

Emergency responders arrived 45 minutes later to find the actor in critical condition. He was airlifted to a nearby hospital, where doctors began a series of surgeries to address the extensive damage. 

Renner had over 30 broken bones—including fractures to his ribs, face, pelvis, legs, and hands—along with a collapsed lung, a pierced liver, and severe head trauma. His condition was described as near-fatal, and he spent 12 days in the intensive care unit.

“I hear all the bones crack … skull, jaw, cheekbones, molars: fibula, tibia, lungs, eye sockets, cranium, pelvis, ulna, legs, arms, skin, crack, snap, crack, squeeze,” Renner details. 

The most gruesome injury was that his left eyeball “violently burst out of my skull” due to a broken orbital bone around his eye socket. “I could see my left eye with my right eye,” he writes.

A Long Road to Recovery

Renner’s injuries required multiple surgeries and months of physical rehabilitation. The process was grueling, both physically and emotionally. He was forced to relearn basic motor functions, and even walking became a challenge. 

Throughout his recovery, Renner documented his progress on social media, sharing hopeful messages and glimpses into his day-to-day rehabilitation.

In interviews, Renner described the accident as a transformative experience. “I chose to survive,” he told Jimmy Fallon in a 2024 appearance on “The Tonight Show”. “I didn’t know I had that choice at the time, but I just kept fighting.”

After a long road to recovery, he returned to acting in early 2024, resuming his lead role in the Paramount+ series “Mayor of Kingstown”. Fans and colleagues alike praised his determination and strength, calling his comeback “nothing short of miraculous.”

“My Next Breath”

Renner’s memoir, “My Next Breath”, offers a raw and intimate account of the accident, the aftermath, and the spiritual shift he experienced. The book opens with a vivid recounting of the incident itself—his moment of impact, the sounds, the pain, and the terrifying realization of how close he was to death.

Renner writes about an out-of-body experience during the 45-minute wait for emergency responders, describing a feeling of calm and a vision-like state where he felt “at peace.”

“When I died, what I felt was energy, a constantly connected, beautiful and fantastic energy,” he writes. “There was no time, place, or space, and nothing to see, except a kind of electric, two-way vision made from strands of that inconceivable energy.”

The memoir also dives deep into his mental fortitude, explaining how years of discipline and personal growth helped prepare him for this unimaginable test.

A New Perspective

In the closing chapters of My Next Breath, Renner shares that the accident reshaped his priorities. “I don’t live for work anymore,” he writes. “I live for every breath, every hug, every moment of laughter.” His message is one of survival and gratitude—a reminder that even in the face of near-tragedy, one can find strength and meaning.