Maeve McDermott, USA TODAY
(USA Today) — It’s been nearly a year since the crash that almost took his life, but the pain is still fresh for Tracy Morgan, who gave an emotional interview with Matt Lauer on NBC’s Today show Monday morning.
“I can’t believe I’m here — it touches me,” the comedian said in his his first public appearance since the accident last June. Holding his cane, Morgan spoke tearfully about the difficult healing process following the crash with a Walmart truck on the New Jersey Turnpikeafter a show in Delaware. The crash killed his friend, mentor and fellow comedianJames “Jimmy Mack” McNair and seriously injured two other passengers.
For a public figure known for his belly-laugh brand of comedy on Saturday Night Liveand 30 Rock, seeing Morgan break into tears was hard to watch. He spoke candidly about his tough year of healing after suffering a traumatic brain injury in the crash, in addition to a broken leg, nose and ribs. “You can see the scars on my head,” Morgan said, pointing to his face. “I have my good day and my bad days when I forget things. I have headaches and nosebleeds.”
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