Orlando Bloom took some time to reflect on a life-threatening fall the star suffered back in 1998, sharing details of the accident on social media.
“That’s me in my back brace circa 1998 about 3months after I fell 3floors and crushed my spine, narrowly escaping death and paralysis,” wrote the 44-year-old actor on Instagram, captioning a flick of himself riding a bike while wearing the brace and smiling, despite his injuries.
“grateful everyday for my limbs that allow me to push my limits and live life on my edge (safer now🙏),” he added, sharing a second photo of himself today, riding with a friend.
Bloom’s fiancée, Katy Perry, commented on the post, writing, “I love you.” Miranda Kerr, the actor’s ex-wife, also wrote, “So proud of you ❤️.”
The “Pirates of the Caribbean” actor previously discussed the fall with GQ, telling the publication in 2005 that the incident happened while climbing a rooftop terrace with friends. When a drainpipe he scaled collapsed, the star fell three stories.
“Until then, I didn’t have a healthy appreciation for life and death — that we’re not invincible,” Bloom told the magazine. “And for four days, I faced the idea of living in a wheelchair for the rest of my life. I went to some dark places in my mind. I realized, I’m either going to walk again or I’m not.”
“But that accident has informed everything in my life,” he continued. “Until you’re close to losing it, you don’t realize. I used to ride motorbikes and drive cars like everything was a racetrack; it was ridiculous. It wasn’t because I thought it was cool; it was just because I loved living on the edge. But I’ve chilled.”