Jeremy Renner is speaking out publicly for the first time about the snowplow accident that almost took his life. The “Hawkeye” star was severely injured and left in critical condition on New Year’s Day when he was crushed by a 7-ton snowcat snowplow outside his Reno, Nevada home while trying to protect his nephew. He was left with blunt chest trauma and more than 30 broken bones.

Renner will open about the scary incident with ABC News anchor Diane Sawyer in the special Jeremy Renner: The Diane Sawyer Interview – A Story of Terror, Survival and Triumph, set to air April 6 at 10 p.m. EDT on ABC.  ABC News released a promo of the sit-down interview between Renner and Sawyer where he opens up about the snowcat accident that left him in critical condition on New Year’s Day. Renner recounted how he sustained his life-threatening injuries, saying: “I’d do it again .. Yeah, I’d do it again, ’cause it’s going right at my nephew.” 

The actor confirmed he was conscious after the accident and remembers the pain, telling Sawyer: “All of it … I was awake through every moment.” The trailer includes audio from the 911 call after Renner’s accident. Renner candidly speaks about his determination to live:  “I chose to survive, this is not going to kill me, no way. I’ve lost a lot of flesh and bone in this experience, but I’ve been refueled and refilled with love and titanium.”

Renner tweeted an update on his recovery Sunday, alongside a video of himself using a specialized treadmill, captioning the post: “I now have to find OTHER things to occupy my time so my body can recover from my will.”

Editorial credit: Tinseltown / Shutterstock.com