Escapologist Jonathan Goodwin almost died twice and has been left paralyzed after a 2021 accident during a rehearsal for “America’s Got Talent: Extreme.”
Goodwin, 42, was meant to free himself from a straitjacket while hanging upside down between two suspended cars some 30 feet in the air, but he got crushed between the two vehicles as they burst into flames, the BBC reported Wednesday. Goodwin’s fiancee, actress Amanda Abbington, 48, said that the stuntman now uses a wheelchair.
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Abbington told podcaster Jay Rayner that Goodwin “fell 30 feet and lost a kidney, broke both shoulder blades, [and] shattered both legs,” as well as suffered “third-degree burns, broke his spine and severed his spinal cord and nearly died.” He “nearly died again” on the operating table, she also said. (RELATED: ‘Y’all Are Insane’: Katy Perry Walks Off ‘American Idol’ After Legendary Singer’s Granddaughter Auditions)
She said the Welsh escapologist has remained “positive and upbeat, and so strong.” Just before he went into surgery for his injuries, Goodwin sent the actress a voice memo where he said that there was only a 50% chance he would survive, that he loved her and thanked her for the time they’d spent together, the BBC noted.
The couple met on social media and were friends for around 10 years before they started talking to each other on the phone daily, the BBC reported. Goodwin flew to Vienna to meet her in person for the first time and proposed within 30 minutes, the outlet noted.
In an Instagram post following the accident, Goodwin described Abbington as “the best thing to ever happen to me,” adding that he had “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.”