Jay Leno Gives Glimpse At How He's Recovering From His Injuries
Late night legend Jay Leno is slowly but surely recuperating from the scary near-death incident he survived that left him with severe burns. On November 12, the comedian was attempting to fix up his 1907 White Steam Car when a fuel leak covered Leno's hands and face with gasoline, per TMZ. A stray spark then set off an eruption engulfing Leno in flames until his nearby friend was able to quickly smother and extinguish the fire.
Thankfully, it looks like "The Tonight Show" alum is set to make a full recovery, but he received serious injuries from the accident. According to The New York Times, Leno suffered both second-degree and third-degree burns, with the most severe damage being found on his face. "I am ok," the late night host reassured in a statement after the accident (via Variety). "Just need a week or two to get back on my feet."
As the star undergoes treatment for his burns, Leno is giving the world a glimpse into his recovery efforts.
Jay Leno received skin grafts, says his doctor
Comedian Jay Leno is proving that nothing can keep him down for too long. As he's going through treatment for his injuries, Leno reportedly continues to be in "good spirits," per ABC News. Dr. Peter Grossman — the head of the Grossman Burn Center in Los Angeles where Leno is being treated — explained in new video captured by Inside Edition just how intense the comedian's treatments have been.
"He's had skin grafts that are not his own, meaning skin that we have in our skin bank," Dr. Grossman described. According to Mount Sinai, skin grafts are pieces of skin that are surgically reattached to cover a wound. In the segment, Leno can also be seen with bandages covering his face, hands, and right arm as he lays in a hyperbaric chamber. These hyperbaric chambers are utilized on burn victims to "accelerate burn wound healing by increasing oxygen supply to injured areas and reducing swelling," per the Grossman Burn Center website.
With these treatments, Dr. Grossman believes that the former late night host will have a swift recovery. "As I'm getting to learn about Jay, I don't think it's going to be months," he explained. "I really think he's the type of guy who's just going to move forward." That's great news for the comedian's wife, Mavis Leno, who Dr. Grossman previously shared was "obviously very concerned" for her husband of over 40 years, per People.
It's too early to tell if Jay Leno sustained permanent damage
While Jay Leno had already gone through surgery, Dr. Peter Grossman revealed that it's "too early to tell" whether his injuries would be permanent, especially in his facial area.
The medical professional told NBC News that Leno had burns to "approximately 7% of his body," which they immediately remedied by adding temporary skin grafts from "human cadaver skin," a procedure usually done to burn victims. His team plans to return to the operating room in "a few days" for further assessment, hoping that they could arrive at a more permanent solution. "Remove that and then we'll assess what he needs from there and hopefully definitely get his wounds to close," Grossman detailed.
Leno has been a trooper amid his injuries, with Grossman noting that the legendary host remained stoic and refused to complain. Despite his burns being the "most painful type" of injury, the doctor commended how the star manages to maintain a "very high pain threshold." He also told The New York Times, "Our hope is that when everything is all said and done he will do well, but burn injuries are progressive and dynamic and it's hard to predict ultimately what the final outcome will be at this stage in the game."
Jay Leno remains in high spirits, says Tim Allen
It looks like nothing can take the comedian out of Jay Leno — not even third-degree burns.
Per Dr. Peter Grossman, Leno is surprisingly his usual jolly self as he tries to recover from the accident. "He's Jay Leno, he's walking around, he's cracking jokes," he said at a press conference on November 16 (via CNN), adding that the comedian exhibited "incredibly kind" behavior to the hospital staff. With this, Grossman predicted, "I do anticipate him making a full recovery."
The former "Tonight Show" host even finds it in him to catch up with some pals, including Tim Allen. Speaking with TMZ just outside of the Grossman Burn Center, the "Home Improvement" actor confirmed that Leno is truly on the mend and that he engaged in some friendly banter like they always do. "He's feeling better," Allen told the outlet. "We did some jokes, which is what we do. We commiserated." He also assured fans that Leno's face won't be affected from the burns, joking that he'll resemble George Clooney after recovery. "He's handsome and he's happy," Allen shared. "The hospital is doing a great job taking care of him."