In his first interview since his near-fatal snow plow accident, actor Jeremy Renner recalled jumping into action to save his nephew and declared: “I’d do it again.”
Renner sat down with veteran journalist Diane Sawyer to discuss the accident and his recovery. The full interview — titled “Jeremy Renner: The Diane Sawyer Interview – A Story of Terror, Survival and Triumph” — is scheduled to air on ABC News on Thursday, April 6.
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“I chose to survive.” @dianesawyer sits down exclusively with @jeremyrenner in his 1st interview since life-threatening accident.
‘Jeremy Renner: The Diane Sawyer Interview – A Story of Terror, Survival and Triumph’ airs on @ABC next Thursday, April 6th. https://t.co/vERVX1O2bn pic.twitter.com/fzomqjNMAe
— 20/20 (@ABC2020) March 29, 2023
“Do you remember the pain?” Sawyer asked in the preview clip that was posted on Wednesday.
“Oh, all of it, yeah, I was awake through every moment,” Renner replied.
Renner’s nephew — who was the reason for the Marvel actor’s quick actions on that day — said that he immediately rushed to help his uncle and found him in a pool of blood. “When I ran up to him, you know, I didn’t think he was alive,” he said.
For Renner, there was no question: “I’d do it again.”
“You’d do it again?” Sawyer asked, incredulous.
“Yeah, I’d do it again,” Renner confirmed. “Because it was going right at my nephew.”
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Sawyer went through a list of the injuries Renner had sustained that day, any number of which could have proved fatal if he had not gotten medical assistance quickly.
“I’m thinking, what does my body look like?” Renner recalled. “Am I just going to be like a spine and a brain, like a science experiment?”
Later on, in tears, Renner admitted that he had said to his family in sign language, “I’m sorry.”
Ultimately, he told Sawyer that it had come down to a personal choice: “I chose to survive. It’s not going to kill me. No way!”
Sawyer later asked Renner whether he “dream[ed]” about having the ability to do any of his own stunts again in the future.
The “Hawkeye” actor’s answer was simple: “I’ve lost a lot of flesh and bone in this experience but I’ve been refueled and refilled with love and titanium.”