Michail Antonio has no memory of how he crashed his car into a tree only that it happened. "The police arrived and found me wedged between the two seats. I wasn’t even in the driver’s seat," he recalls. "They said it looked like I was trying to climb out of the window, but my leg was so badly broken that the pain likely stopped me." Images of his mangled Ferrari, which had collided with a tree in Epping Forest during a stormy December night, quickly spread on social media, leaving many questioning whether Antonio had survived. The crash left West Ham’s all-time top Premier League scorer in the hospital for over three weeks with a broken leg, forcing him to embark on a grueling road to recovery. Now, Antonio is determined to return to top-level football and sees this as a "second chance at life" after coming "close to dying." The 34-year-old sat down for an exclusive interview with BBC One's *Morning Live* host Helen Skelton to reflect on his "horrendous accident." The Day of the Crash Saturday, December 7, began like any other for Michail Antonio, with a routine West Ham training session ahead of their upcoming televised match against Wolves. The weather that day was brutal strong winds, relentless rain, and an overall sense of chaos in the air. The Met Office had issued warnings for Storm Darragh, and Antonio recalls how miserable the conditions were. Before leaving, his partner asked him to grab some bags from their other car. Feeling sluggish, he opted to take his Ferrari instead—despite already having concerns about it. “The back kept sliding out on me, and I never felt fully in control,” he admits. “I’d only had it for three weeks, but I was already thinking about returning it.” That fateful choice altered everything. Yet, when asked about the crash itself what exactly happened in those moments—Antonio has no recollection. “It’s strange because, throughout this whole ordeal, people have told me I was awake and talking—to the police, to bystanders, even to the person who found me,” he says. With his leg shattered, emergency responders carefully extracted him from the wreckage, securing a splint beside the crumpled car. Many assumed he had been airlifted to the hospital, but the storm made that impossible—the helicopter couldn’t take off, so he was transported by ambulance instead. Three weeks ago, Antonio visited the scrapyard where his Ferrari had been taken. “Seeing it in person made my stomach turn. The photos were bad enough, but standing there, looking at what was left, was overwhelming. The car was completely destroyed. That’s when it truly hit me just how close I came to losing my life.” The Severity of Antonio’s Injury Antonio’s first hazy memory after the crash was on Sunday, when he briefly heard the anxious voice of his longtime agent, Mike Appiason. By Monday, he had regained enough awareness to send a message of encouragement to his West Ham teammates ahead of their victory over Wolves. “My femur was shattered in four places,” he explains. “I underwent a single keyhole surgery where doctors inserted a metal rod into my thigh, secured by four bolts to hold everything together.” Initially, his surgeon advised him to avoid putting any pressure on the injured leg for three months—a milestone he has now reached. “But we consulted another specialist who recommended a gradual increase in weight-bearing, starting at 10% and working up to full pressure within three weeks,” Antonio shares. Despite this, he held onto his crutches for an additional two weeks. “The full recovery process is expected to take anywhere from six months to a year,” he adds. Antonio also took the opportunity to shut down speculation circulating online that drugs or alcohol played a role in the crash. “I was coming back from training, and for the record, I’ve never used drugs in my life,” he states firmly. “I enjoy a drink now and then, but that wasn’t a factor here. No drugs, no alcohol—this was all confirmed by the police.” Reflecting on his mental health, Antonio acknowledges that therapy has played a crucial role in his ability to process difficult moments. He had previously sought professional help to cope with the loss of his father and the end of his marriage, struggles that left him emotionally detached even during West Ham’s Conference League triumph in 2023. When asked how he might have handled the crash without therapy, he says, “I probably wouldn’t have processed it at all. I would have buried it and reacted with anger or frustration instead.” Instead, the experience has opened him up emotionally in ways he never expected. “Since the accident, I’ve been more in touch with my emotions than ever before. But honestly, I think that’s a good thing. Therapy is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.” Will Antonio Return to Football? The big question remains—can he be the same player he was before? "Absolutely, 100%," Antonio says without hesitation. "I will be back." However, there was a moment of doubt. Just two weeks ago, his physiotherapists asked whether he had insurance for career-ending injuries. That question lingered in his mind. "I didn’t sleep at all that night," he admits, shaking his head with a wry smile. His recovery demands an intense rehabilitation process, with endless hours in the gym. His next major milestone? Getting back to running. "That’s my focus. That’s why I’m training six days a week. I’ve approached this with nothing but a positive mindset," he explains. "It was a terrible accident, and the injury is significant, but I refuse to let it define me." It’s the most serious injury he’s ever faced, yet Antonio is already far ahead of schedule in his recovery. "I should be months behind where I am now, but I’m not. That’s why I have no doubt—I will play again," he says with confidence. "And once I’m back on the pitch, the sharpness will return." Before the accident, Antonio was one of the fastest players at West Ham. "My body didn’t move like a typical 34-year-old’s, and it won’t now either," he adds. "I can still be quick. I can still make an impact." Throughout his career, he has faced skeptics time and time again. "People have always doubted me," he says. "But my mental strength has carried me through every challenge. This is just another obstacle, and like every other, it won’t stop me." "I Almost Wasn't There for My Children" Visiting the scrapyard where his Ferrari lay in ruins was a gut-wrenching experience for Antonio. The thought of missing out on his children’s lives hit him hard, leaving a deep sense of unease. “The hardest part of all this is knowing I came so close to not being there for my kids,” he reflects. “But it’s also made me more grateful this whole experience has given me a new outlook on life.” Throughout his recovery, Antonio and his family shielded his younger children from the full reality of the situation. “My eldest, who’s 13, found out about it, though. People were sharing pictures of the wreck, and it really affected him,” he says. “He came to see me in the hospital, but for the little ones, we did our best to keep them away from all of it, even limiting their internet access.” One major change Antonio has made? Staying away from high-performance cars—for now. “I’ve always loved sports cars and vintage classics, but honestly, I have to admit—they don’t love me back,” he jokes. At the moment, he’s opted for something much safer. “I’m driving a Mercedes people carrier, and my brother’s behind the wheel most of the time,” he says. “At least for now, I’m keeping my distance from fast cars.” Despite this, he recently took the wheel for the first time since the accident. “I don’t remember the crash itself, so I don’t have any fear or flashbacks,” he explains. “The only thing that gets to me is this nagging thought if anything at all happens while I’m driving, even something minor, people will immediately start saying, ‘Oh, Michail’s been in another accident.’ That kind of negativity plays on my mind a bit.” A New Manager and Uncertain Future At the time of Antonio’s crash, Julen Lopetegui was in charge at West Ham. However, the Spaniard was later dismissed, with Graham Potter stepping in as his replacement. For Antonio, recovering from a serious injury while a new manager was appointed added another layer of stress. “That was a really tough pill to swallow,” he admits. “I won’t lie it was one of the most challenging aspects of this whole situation. A fresh manager came in, and I wasn’t even there to prove myself, especially with my contract running out at the end of the season.” Initially, this uncertainty weighed heavily on him, but he soon realized that his focus had to remain on his own recovery. “The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that I can’t force my way back too soon. If I push myself before I’m fully fit, I’ll only make things worse,” he explains. “If I rush it and that leads to another setback, then that would be the real reason I don’t get a contract. But as long as I take my time and do things right, I’ll know I gave it everything.” West Ham has been fully committed to Antonio’s rehabilitation, covering his treatment and even funding a trip to Dubai, where he focused on physiotherapy, rest, and mental recovery through meditation. The club also took steps to honor the emergency responders who helped save him, raising funds through various initiatives. Before one match, the entire squad warmed up in Antonio jerseys, later auctioning them off to support the cause. His teammates also showed their support in meaningful ways. After scoring against Wolves, Jarrod Bowen held up Antonio’s shirt in tribute. When Antonio recently stepped onto the pitch at the London Stadium—finally off crutches he was met with an outpouring of appreciation from the fans. “The love and support mean everything to me,” he says. “When I first got into football, it was just a hobby I didn’t even support a club. But now? I’m a West Ham fan through and through. What this club has done for me, the backing they’ve given me both on and off the pitch, the medical care, the specialists—it’s been incredible. I can’t thank the club, the fans, the emergency services, and everyone around me enough.” And when fans stop him in the street to ask if he’ll return to action, Antonio welcomes the attention. “I appreciate that people care enough to ask,” he says with a smile. “I don’t mind answering it a thousand times. My goal is simple to be back out there scoring goals.”