Jeremy Renner, the esteemed actor known for his roles in epic action blockbusters, recently shared a glimpse into his world. He provided powerful perspective following his frightening crash on New Year’s Day 2023. At 54, Renner was involved in a terrible accident during which his own 14,000-pound snowplough ran over and crushed him. His injuries were critical, like six ribs fractured in 14 places, a shattered rib cage, and a punctured lung. After surviving critical, life-threatening injuries, he was in the hospital only 12 days. By the time he left, though, he had a hopeful new outlook on his life and future.
In his recent interview Renner went on to say that the tragic accident changed him for the better, making him more vulnerable, open and loving. He called the NDE “the most exciting serenity you’ll ever experience.” According to Nick, this newfound clarity changed how he viewed life and relationships. “What I felt when I passed was this collective divinity and just gorgeous, powerful, peaceful presence,” he said.
After Renner’s accident, he is rethinking everything in his life. He wasn’t always on top of things personally. That was accompanied by a stormy divorce from his second wife Sonni Pacheco in 2014, after the couple’s 10-month long marriage. The divorce was overshadowed in the media with accusations he was the “unfit parent” fighting full custody for their daughter, Ava. Renner came to realize that he had been discontent in most areas of his life prior to the incident. As he confessed, “I was the one who was standing in my own way.”
Prior to his accident, Renner had a rigorous routine of grooming his horses and other activities to alleviate stress. A placard hanging in his apartment— “Don’t forget to breathe”— was emblematic of his self-care philosophy. He used a unique mantra to help with his lung capacity: repeating “hookers, whores and hamburgers.” This offbeat method was very much in the spirit of his general classic, mumblecore-style idiosyncrasy and his goofball sense of humor.
In addition to being a charismatic model of suffering and endurance, Renner has long been an artist, with passions for music and writing. He’s just put out his second album of mostly self written tunes. His career has spanned significant films like “The Hurt Locker,” “The Bourne Legacy,” and “Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation.” This remarkable performance earned him concurrent nominations for best actor and best supporting actor Oscars. This nomination comes on the heels of his astounding work in “The Hurt Locker” and “The Town.”
Despite his fame, Renner remains grounded. In public, he’s learned to not be touched by public criticism, saying, “Doesn’t bother me what anybody says. He understands that most of those comments come from an agenda entirely disconnected from truth. For their own reasons, they’re saying it—and not for anything that’s the truth or the whole picture,” he added.
Renner’s recovery journey is ongoing. Those relationships, particularly as he found himself alone at the height of that success, are what grounds Stewart today. As someone who used to miss family reunions, he points out, in order to deliver big signature capital projects. “Four Christmases in a row I didn’t see one family member,” he said forlornly.
Today, Renner’s priority is on recovering and deepening relationships with friends and family. He painted a picture of his old house as a place that buzzed with activity and where he raised his daughter and welcomed friends. “Above all, it was my dating life. It was my club. It was my home,” he revealed. Through this new lens, he hopes to get back in touch—literally and figuratively—with the people closest to him.