West Ham United forward Michail Antonio was allegedly left in a state of total confusion after suffering a frightening accident in his Ferrari on Saturday afternoon. The 34-year-old underwent surgery for a lower-limb fracture at a London medical facility following the terrifying crash in Essex.
Antonio was trapped in his luxe £260,000 vehicle for almost an hour before rescuers scrambled to extricate him and he was airlifted to hospital.
The horror crash occurred near Epping Forest’s outskirts in Coppice Row. A dog walker, who happened to be near the traumatic scene, has since shared his experience.
“I said to him ‘hello’ to see if anyone was alive,” recounted Samuel Woods, 34, who discovered Antonio post-crash, speaking to The Sun.
“I heard sirens and told him that help was on its way. He was so disorientated. He said, ‘Where am I? What’s going on? What car am I in?’
“The paramedics got there really fast. I couldn’t believe what happened. The car smelt of petrol. I looked at him and thought, ‘He’s in big trouble.’
“I just said, ‘You’ve had an accident’. He didn’t reply. He was looking around trying to make sense of what I just said. He was sitting in the passenger side.”
Following the alarming incident, West Ham United issued a statement the next afternoon confirming the details.
It read: “West Ham United can confirm Michail Antonio has undergone surgery on a lower limb fracture following a road traffic accident on Saturday afternoon. Michail will continue to be monitored in hospital over the coming days.
“Everyone at the Club wishes Michail a speedy recovery and wishes to express its sincere gratitude to the football family at large for the overwhelming support shown since yesterday’s news, as well as extending a heartfelt thank you to the emergency services and first responders who attended to Michail in the immediate aftermath of the incident, and the medical team who continue to aid him in his recovery. The Club will provide further updates when appropriate.”
The police are investigating the incident and have appealed for witnesses to come forward with any information or dashcam footage.
Antonio’s ex-wife, Debbie Whittle, rushed to his bedside after hearing the news, and the football community has rallied around him, offering support and well-wishes.
As West Ham’s record Premier League goalscorer, Antonio has been an integral part of the team since joining in 2015.