More details emerge as a witness who rushed to help reveals what were Michail Antonio’s first words after his horror car crash.
A dog walker has recalled the moment of the crash on Saturday afternoon, with West Ham confirming that Antonio was involved in a road traffic accident.
West Ham issued a statement on the incident and then gave a further update that he was in “a stable condition” and was “conscious and communicating” in hospital.
Police released a statement of their own and confirmed they had attended to an incident in Coppice Row, Epping after a “single vehicle collision” took place.
A number of witnesses have spoken to the media about what they experienced, with one who rushed over the help West Ham’s Michail Antonio speaking about the car crash and what the footballer said to him when trying to help out…
The 34 year old is now recovering from surgery to a broken leg having had to be cut free from his £260,000 Ferrari FF which struck a tree on a very slippery road in Theydon Bois, Essex.
Witnesses reveal he was in a highly confused state with the driver’s side was ripped apart and the impact seeing him fly across to the passenger seat, trapped for nearly an hour before being cut free and airlifted to hospital.
West Ham state that he has had surgery on a lower limb fracture in a London hospital.
Samuel Woods, 34, who had drove home after walking his dog in Epping Forest, saw what he thought was a dumped car by the roadside, before pulling over and saw a man inside who looked “in big trouble”.
Samuel told The Sun: “I said to him ‘hello’ to see if anyone was alive.
“I heard sirens and told him that help was on its way.
“He was so disorientated. He said, ‘Where am I? What’s going on? What car am I in?’
“The paramedics got there really fast. I couldn’t believe what happened. The car smelt of petrol.
“I looked at him and thought, ‘He’s in big trouble’.
“I just said, ‘You’ve had an accident’. He didn’t reply. He was looking around trying to make sense of what I just said. He was sitting in the passenger side.”
Other drivers got out of their vehicle having seen smoke coming from the wreckage, and one motorist, who passed by the scene just minutes after it happened, said to The Sun: “I could see the car was a total mess.
“Because there was smoke coming out of the car people were too scared to approach it I think.”
West Ham and Essex Police post further statement on Michail Antonio after his car crash
A West Ham spokesman said on Sunday: “Michail has undergone surgery on a lower limb fracture following a road traffic accident on Saturday afternoon. Michail will continue to be monitored in hospital over the coming days.
“Everyone at the club wishes Michail a speedy recovery and wishes to express its sincere gratitude to the football family at large for the overwhelming support shown since yesterday’s news.”
The club also extended a “heartfelt thank you to the emergency services and the medical team who continue to aid him in his recovery”.
Messages of love and support flooded in on social media, with Declan Rice saying: “Thinking of you and your family brother. Prayers to all of you.”
Maxwel Cornet wrote: “With you brother.”
talkSPORT host Jim White meanwhile claimed on Monday that it will be ‘at least 12 months’ before Michail Antonio knows if he can play football again.
“In a car accident at the weekend, I’m told this morning that he remains in a stable condition in hospital and receiving the full support of the NHS and the West Ham medical staff,” White told talkSPORT.
“He has sustained serious damage to one of his legs and it’s thought that it’s going to be a long-haul recovery.
“It will be at least 12 months before it’s known whether or not he’ll play football again.
“I was told this morning that Michail is a fighter and is in a strong physical position and that may help him and be a bit of an advantage when it comes to his recovery.
“Everybody here at talkSPORT sends their very best to Michail Antonio as he continues to recover from that car accident.”
Simon Jordan added: “When I saw it it reminded me of Chris Coleman when he was at Fulham – I hope it doesn’t go the same way for Michail as it did for Chris because he couldn’t come back from it,” Jordan said.
“It’s a terrible situation. He’s out and alive which is the most important thing and we’ll see where it goes next for him.
“If he can find his way back – he’s probably got that presence and sense of character to find his way back but it’s going to be hard yards for him.”
Martin Keown added: “I sincerely wish him well. It looked really bad, didn’t it? You do feel he’s lucky to be alive.
“He’s played for West Ham with distinction and spent nearly 10 years at the club.
“He’s a 34-year old but a very fit 34-year-old and hopefully he gets a chance to get back onto the pitch.”
White said: “He’s a lovely guy, Martin. Whenever I go to a West Ham match, if I see him after the match he’s always around with a smile on his face and happy to help out and does his media obligations with a smile on his face.”
𝐂𝐥𝐮𝐛 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 – 𝐌𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐥 𝐀𝐧𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐨 𝐔𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞
West Ham United can confirm Michail Antonio has undergone surgery on a lower limb fracture following a road traffic accident on Saturday afternoon.
Michail will continue to be monitored in hospital over… pic.twitter.com/vg7vQbjssU
— West Ham United (@WestHam) December 8, 2024
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