'100%' - West Ham ace makes defiant vow as he ramps up recovery from lengthy lay-off

Yesterday at 01:32 AM

West Ham United striker Michail Antonio has opened up on his horrific car crash back in December.

The 34-year-old has revealed how he came close to losing his life in the devastating incident but has vowed to shake off a badly broken leg to play football again.

Antonio shattered his femur when he lost control of his Ferrari and crashed into a tree in Epping Forest.

West Ham’s record Premier League top scorer remembers nothing of the accident, but after seeing the wreckage at a scrapyard weeks later, he knows he’s lucky to be alive.

Antonio has admitted he feels he has been given "another chance at life" and is determined to ramp up his recovery ahead of an emotional return to football.

"It gave me a weird feeling in my stomach," he said (via The Guardian). "It just made me realise how close I was to dying.

“I had seen the pictures, but it was 10 times worse in person. The car was an absolute mess. It was difficult for me."

The Met Office had issued a warning for Storm Darragh on the day of the crash. Antonio said the weather was “wet, windy, and horrific”.

He even considered returning the car for his own safety, but everything that happened after that is a blur.

Despite not being able to remember what happened in the build-up to the accident, Antonio was told he was conscious throughout the ordeal and spoke to the police and paramedics who arrived at the scene.

His leg shattered in four places, but emergency responders managed to stabilise him before taking him to the hospital in an ambulance.

They tried using air support, but the helicopter couldn’t get off the ground due to the weather.

Antonio had a single keyhole surgery where the doctors inserted a metal rod and bolts into his thigh to piece his leg back together.

He was advised not to put weight on the leg for three months, but a second specialist gave the green light for gradual physical therapy.

Antonio is expected to miss the rest of the season, but the Jamaican striker is eager to get back in the mix and is working hard to expedite his recovery.

“100% I will play again,” he said. "I am working six days a week. I've always been positive from this situation.

"It's the biggest injury I've had, but the fact I'm already two to three months ahead of where I should be, I know I'll play again, and I know once I'm playing the game I'll get the sharpness back.”