Wilmer Valderrama Recounts ‘Petrifying’ Airplane Incident with ‘That ‘70s Show’ Co-Stars

That ‘70s Show star Wilmer Valderrama opened up to The Hollywood Reporter about the “petrifying” near-death incident aboard an airplane alongside several cast members and celebrity friends 21 years ago.

According to an archived post from People and The National Enquirer, the incident occurred in March 2003 during a charter flight returning from Mardi Gras weekend in New Orleans. Onboard were Valderrama and his ‘70s Show co-stars Ashton Kutcher and Danny Masterson, along with Colin Hanks, and Geoff and George Shults of 7th Heaven fame.

The chaotic scene began when an auxiliary power unit malfunctioned, depressurizing the cabin and releasing oxygen masks. Kutcher woke his sleeping companions, but when Masterson wouldn’t wake up he began performing CPR. As Masterson came back to his senses, Hanks began to slip out of consciousness.

Despite a few remarks from Valderama and Geoff Shults in the immediate aftermath, no one aboard the flight has divulged any details of the incident until now. While promoting his new book, An American Story: Everyone’s Invited, Valderrama recalled his immediate thoughts during the near-disaster.

“The first thing I thought about was my sisters, my mom, and my dad,” the Venezuela native said. “If I ever leave this Earth, do they have everything they need? You think about, what do you really fear in life? Death may be one, but leaving your loved ones without everything they need was the most petrifying experience.”

The episode ultimately led Valderama to change his outlook about his career and work ethic. “I went on to just work my ass off. I went off to be an entrepreneur and to start many businesses and to really stay working,” he said. “It’s a great testament to what this country can provide for you.”

An American Story: Everyone’s Invited hits bookstores on Sept. 17.