'AGT: Extreme' contestant Jonathan Goodwin speaks out after near fatal accident: 'There is a long road to recovery'
Stuntman Jonathan Goodwin is speaking out after last week's horrific accident on the set of America's Got Talent: Extreme. Goodwin shared a photo from his hospital bed, thanking people for the "truly incredible" outpouring of support.
"It literally has been a lifesaver," he wrote on Instagram, noting he has "a long road to recovery."
Goodwin, 41, nearly died rehearsing his act for AGT: Extreme on Thursday night in Atlanta. The daredevil was suspended in the air between two cars, which smashed into him before erupting into flames. Goodwin reportedly fell more than 40 feet and hit his head, according to a 911 call. He was airlifted to a local hospital. In the photo Goodwin posted early on Wednesday morning, burns are visible on his face while his right hand is bandaged. His spirits are high judging from his inspiring message.
"You can't say you don’t get out what you put in. I've tried my hardest over the years to be kind, thoughtful, honest supportive and good. A couple of days ago my life took a complete left turn… and the out pouring of love from all the corners of the world; from people I didn’t even think would know or remember me… has just been astonishing," Goodwin began. "I will have a lot to say on that matter and the benefits of being kind in the future.. but thank you. Thank you to everyone who has reached out and sent their love and support."
Goodwin said he's "been to the very brink and dodged the worst that a human being can, without fear…because I was protected by love."
"Love is all you need, so make sure you get some, cos its good s***," he continued. "To death I say nananana boo boo… and to the rest of you… watch this space. There is a long road to recovery and that won't look like what it did…I may leave the daft s*** alone for a while, but I have a lot left to do in this world. Maybe we can make something good together?"
Production has been halted on the inaugural season of AGT: Extreme, a spinoff of the popular series America's Got Talent.
"Our thoughts and prayers remain with Jonathan Goodwin and his family as he continues to recover from his accident on Thursday," an AGT production spokesperson told Yahoo Entertainment on Monday. "In order to focus on the wellbeing of our crew, we will be temporarily pausing production on America's Got Talent: Extreme and will resume the last few days of filming at a later date. The health and safety of our cast and crew continue to be our priority."
A spokesperson for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) added to Yahoo the regulatory agency "is aware of this incident and has opened an inspection."
AGT: Extreme will feature "the most outrageous, unique and jaw-dropping acts of enormous scale and magnitude that simply cannot be confined to a theater stage," NBC previously announced. It's set to premiere sometime next year with Simon Cowell, Nikki Bella and Travis Pastrana as judges.