Orlando Bloom reflects on 'narrowly escaping death' in 1998 fall
Orlando Bloom has recalled how he "narrowly escaped death" during a freak accident in the late 1990s.
The Lord of the Rings actor took to Instagram over the weekend to share a throwback photo of him riding a bicycle in a field while wearing a back brace. He also posted a more recent snap of him cycling in a forest.
In the accompanying caption, Bloom explained that he's "grateful" to be able to walk and ride a bike at all, considering the damage he did to his back in the past accident.
"That's me in my back brace circa 1998 about 3 months after I fell 3 floors and crushed my spine, narrowly escaping death and paralysis..." the 44-year-old wrote. "Grateful every day for my limbs that allow me to push my limits and live life on my edge (safer now)."
The post attracted praise from Bloom's followers, including his fiancée Katy Perry, who wrote, "I love you," while his ex-wife, Miranda Kerr, added: "So proud of you."
In March, the star also opened up about the incident in a chat with The Guardian, and described it as the "closest" he'd ever come to death.
"At 20, I fell from a fourth-floor window and broke my back. For four days they said I'd never walk again, but I had a miraculous recovery," he shared.