Tracy Morgan Reflects on 'Fateful' Accident 10 Years Later (Exclusive)

On June 7, 2014, the actor was involved in a near-fatal car crash that left him in a coma for two weeks

Tracy Morgan is looking back on the accident that completely upended his life 10 years ago.

"Today is 10 years since our fateful accident, and I want to say to everyone who was in the van with me that night I Love you, and we miss you, Uncle Jimmy Mac and God bless your family," the comedian, 55, tells PEOPLE exclusively. "And to the driver that night and his family, me and my comrades forgive you."

On June 7, 2014, the 30 Rock alum was involved in a near-fatal accident on the New Jersey Turnpike, when a Walmart truck crashed into his limousine from behind. Authorities said that the Walmart truck driver hadn’t slept in over 24 hours and if he hadn’t been speeding, would have been able to stop his vehicle before impact and the crash would have been preventable.

James McNair, Morgan’s collaborator and mentor, died in the crash at 62 years old. Other passengers were severely injured. Morgan was in critical condition after breaking his leg and was left in a coma for two weeks.

The accident left Morgan in a wheelchair for five months. He went to rehab at JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute in Edison, N.J., to relearn how to speak and walk. The Last O.G. star and his daughter Maven, who was 14 months old at the time, got to learn how to walk together.

"That's magic," Morgan said of the shared experience in his 2017 Netflix special Staying Alive.

Related: Tracy Morgan Gets Emotional Talking About Raising Daughter, 8, After Crash, Leaving 'a Legacy'

His personal goal in physical therapy was to be able to walk down the aisle without a cane for his wedding to Megan Wollover in 2015. (The couple would split five years later.)

Morgan's family also encouraged him to move forward while he dealt with depression during his recovery.

Following his time in rehab, Morgan worked tirelessly at his recovery and would slowly recuperate. The star shared his journey over the years, and in 2017, he told PEOPLE that the crash ultimately left him motivated and with a “story to tell.”

“When anything ever bad happened to me I made it funny and I turned it good,” he said at the time, promoting the Netflix special Staying Alive.

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“This was a bad thing that happened to me. I wanted to tell my story, but I also want to continue my standup career because all the great things that ever happened to me in my life came through standup.”

In the special, Morgan got candid about his injuries and his brain trauma. "I broke every bone in my face, my ribs. I pulverized my femur," he said. "I'm from the ghetto and after I came out the coma, I was blind for a week and where I come from, you don't want to be blind for a second. All kinds of s--- started coming up missing in my hospital room."

Related: How Jordan Peele Helped Tracy Morgan Heal After the Walmart Truck Accident Nearly Killed Him

On the fifth anniversary of the crash, Morgan took to X (formerly Twitter), reflecting on McNair’s death and what he is grateful for.

​​"There isn't a day that goes by that I don't miss my friend Jimmy Mac, who sadly lost his life that night. I love you Jimmy. I thank GOD for my family," he wrote in 2019.

"I am eternally grateful for the love and support they give me. My wife, daughter, sons, and friends are what got me back on my feet. I live every day trying to do right by them and the most of this second chance."

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In 2020, he told PEOPLE, “I have my good days and I have my bad days I just want to get better and become healthy.” Most of all, he said at the time: “I am happy to be alive.”

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