'This isn't how I wanted to meet you': 911 call recounts Jeremy Renner's harrowing rescue
RENO, Nevada (KLAS) — A 20-minute 911 call from the snow plow accident that seriously injured actor Jeremy Renner has been released.
On New Year's Day, the 51-year-old actor was run over by his own snowcat vehicle after using it to free a family member's vehicle that became stuck in three feet of snow on a private road near Lake Tahoe, according to Washoe County Sheriff Darin Balaam.
"Someone's in front of my house on the ground and got run over by snowcat, he's been crushed," the 911 caller said in audio, which was released by Truckee Meadows Fire and Rescue. "Yeah, he's in rough shape."
The caller described the gruesome scene as Renner's breaths were getting shorter.
"Yeah, there's a lot of blood over here so you gotta get somebody over here immediately," the caller said. "His breaths are getting shorter — so please."
The accident left Renner in critical but stable condition with chest, and orthopedic injuries, according to Renner's publicist.
"You tell them to be careful, we're in the middle of the road, when they come down from the top it's quite an incline, they don't want to run over us while we're in the road," the caller warned the 911 operator.
The caller continued to provide comfort to Renner while waiting for medical personnel by keeping him warm and awake.
"You're gonna be alright, fellow. This is just pain here. Deal with that, you'll be alright, we'll get you out of here. This isn't how I wanted to meet you though," the caller said to Renner.
Approximately 17 minutes into the 911 call, the man on the phone updated the 911 operator on Renner's condition.
"Shallow breaths. A lot of pain. He's conscious. We got him covered in blankets — his head is covered. Don't be drifting off," the caller said.
"Is he starting to kind of drift off into sleep?" the 911 operator asked.
"Yeah. Stay awake," the caller responded.
Renner was flown by a medical helicopter about 25 miles to a Reno hospital, his publicist and sheriff's officials said. Renner remained in an intensive care unit following surgery.
On Monday, the actor announced that he was back home in a Twitter post saying, "Outside my brain fog in recovery, I was very excited to watch episode 201 with my family at home.” in regard to his Paramount+ TV series “Mayor of Kingstown."