Steve Harmison Breaks Down Over Andrew Flintoff’s Accident
Former cricketer Steve Harmison was overcome with emotion after seeing pictures of Andrew Flintoff’s severe facial injuries resulting from a serious car accident in 2022. Flintoff had to undergo surgery following his traumatic crash while filming for the BBC show Top Gear.
During the incident, Flintoff was driving a Morgan Super 3 three-wheeled sports car, which flipped over, consequently dragging him across the tarmac at Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey. He suffered life-altering facial injuries, many of which will be highlighted in an upcoming documentary on Disney+, releasing this Friday.
Harmison opened up about Flintoff’s struggles in the months after the accident, stating, “He didn’t leave the house for about seven months.” The former fast bowler reminisced on their long-standing friendship, mentioning that communication with Flintoff had become sparse during this time.
Flintoff himself expressed dark thoughts in the wake of the crash, admitting he sometimes wished he had died due to the fear of losing his appearance. In the documentary, he stated, “I didn’t think I had it in me to get through… part of me wishes I had been killed.” He emphasized that his greatest fear was that he would no longer have a face.
Harmison found it heartbreaking to hear Flintoff’s feelings and recollected the emotional toll the situation took on him. “I didn’t stop crying for a long, long time when I saw those pictures,” he recalled. Their friendship dates back to 1996, and they both retired from England cricket in the same game in 2009. Flintoff’s struggles were particularly tough on his family as well.
Despite the extensive injuries, Flintoff has shown resilience and is in the process of recovering. He is “lucky to be still with us,” Harmison noted, and he’s glad to see his friend back in cricket. Oral and maxillofacial surgeon Mr. Jahrad Haq, who operated on Flintoff, described the injuries he encountered as some of the worst in his 20-year career. Flintoff suffered from complex soft tissue injuries, broken and lost teeth, and considerable damage to his lips and jaw.
Mr. Haq shared further insights, expressing the challenges faced during the five-hour operation, emphasizing the importance of reconstructing Flintoff’s facial anatomy accurately. “It’s like a jigsaw puzzle, and almost always all the pieces are there,” he mentioned, acknowledging the extensive trauma involved.
