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Tag: Jimmy Mack

  • Tracy Morgan Lashes Out At Walmart For Placing Blame On Him For Accident

    Tracy Morgan Lashes Out At Walmart For Placing Blame On Him For Accident

    On Monday, Walmart responded to a lawsuit filed by Tracy Morgan regarding a car crash that left him seriously injured and his friend Jimmy Mack dead on June 7 earlier this year. In the filing, the company placed the blame for their injuries on Morgan and his friends due to the fact that they had not been wearing seatbelts.

    Morgan, who starred in Saturday Night Live and 30 Rock, was reportedly incensed by Walmart’s reaction. Morgan issued a statement on Tuesday, which said, “I can’t believe Walmart is blaming me for an accident that they caused. My friends and I were doing nothing wrong. I want to thank my fans for sticking with me during this difficult time. I love you all. I’m fighting hard every day to get back.”

    Morgan and two of his critically injured companions filed a federal lawsuit against Walmart in July that accused the company of negligence. Walmart employed Kevin Roper, the driver of the truck who was reported to be going 20 miles per hour over the speed limit and was allegedly awake for more than 24 hours at the time of the crash, where he hit the rear end of the limo bus carrying Morgan from a standup show in Delaware.

    Walmart’s court filing claims that Morgan’s injuries were “caused, in whole or in part, by plaintiffs’ failure to properly wear an appropriate available seat belt restraint device,” and that Morgan and company had “acted unreasonably and in disregard of (their) own best interests.”

    Morgan’s lawyer, Benedict Morelli, said that the comedian was extremely upset by Walmart’s reaction to the lawsuit. “He was so upset. It was all over the place. He was reading about it and seeing it on TV,” said Morelli.

    Morgan has reportedly been undergoing rigorous rehabilitation since the crash, including daily speech, cognitive, vocational and physical therapies.

  • Tracy Morgan Still Critical But Improving

    Tracy Morgan Still Critical But Improving

    Tracy Morgan is still in critical condition in a New Jersey hospital following a crash on the New Jersey Turnpike last weekend that took the life of his writer, friend, and fellow comedian James McNair. Morgan broke a leg, a femur, his nose, and several ribs in the crash caused by a tractor trailer driver hitting his tour bus from behind.

    “Today was a better day,” a rep for Tracy Morgan said in a statement to the media on Thursday. “While Tracy remains in critical, but stable, condition, he continues to show signs of improvement. His medical team remains optimistic that his recovery is progressing.”

    The rep also said that Morgan’s fiancee Megan Wollover “remains by his side and is relaying the countless good wishes and prayers that his family, friends and fans have been sending their way. ”

    “In addition, Jeff’s wife asked us to pass along that Jeff has also shown much improvement over the past few days,” Morgan’s rep added. “She is very thankful for the love and support she and their family continue to receive.”

    43-year-old stand-up comedian Ardie Fuqua, Morgan’s assistant Jeff Millea, and comic Harris Stanton were also injured in the crash. Stanton was treated and released while Fuqua and Millea remain hospitalized.

    James McNair–often known as Jimmy Mack or Uncle Jimmy Mack–was laid to rest on Thursday. He was honored at a memorial service held at the Paramount Theater in Peekskill, New York. During the service fellow comics called McNair’s teenage daughter to the stage. Danita McNair is about to graduate from high school and her father was trying to put together enough funds for a prom dress for her. The comedians took up an impromptu collection and presented Danita with $500. She was too overcome with emotion to speak. McNair’s son Jamel, however, said the service is exactly what his dad would have wanted.

    “Positivity and unity is what my dad would want everyone to take away from this,” he said afterward. “Love everyone. Say hello to everyone. My dad made sure he said hello to everyone he saw.”

    Tracy Morgan would have wanted to be at James McNair’s funeral so he could have said goodbye to his dear friend. If he is aware that the funeral was Thursday it was no doubt a very difficult day for the former SNL star.

    Even though Tracy Morgan will no doubt spend several more weeks hospitalized it sounds like his survival is a definite and initially even that sounded like it held significant uncertainty. His road to recovery will likely be a slow and painful one, but with the love of his family and good medical care he will persevere and one day make fans laugh again. As the old adage goes, laughter is the best medicine. May it prove so in Tracy Morgan’s healing.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Tracy Morgan: Condition Updated Following Fatal Crash

    Tracy Morgan sustained critical injuries in a crash very early on Saturday morning on the New Jersey Turnpike. That crash killed his friend and comedy writer James McNair–also known as Jimmy Mack. This new information about Morgan’s condition was only recently released and is the first mention of anything other than a statement noting that he was in critical condition.

    A spokesperson–Tracy Morgan’s publicist Lewis Kay–said as of Sunday afternoon that the actor and comedian is “more responsive.” He had surgery on a broken leg early on Sunday and is expected to remain in the hospital for “several weeks.” In addition to the leg on which he had surgery he suffered a broken femur, a broken nose, and several broken ribs. His condition is still deemed critical.

    Kay added that Morgan’s family is “tremendously overwhelmed and appreciative of the outpouring of love and support from his fans.”

    Also critically injured in the crash were Jeffrey Millea, 36, of Shelton, Connecticut, and comedian Ardie Fuqua Jr., 43, of Jersey City, New Jersey. Comic Harris Stanton was treated and released on Saturday.

    Ardie Fuqua’s mother Doris visited her son at Robert Wood Johnson Hospital on Saturday.

    “We’re hoping for the best,” she said of his condition, adding that she doesn’t know how long he will need to stay in the hospital. “It’s too early to tell.”

    Comedian Kevin Hart credits Tracy Morgan for paving the way for him and many fellow comics who now make their livings as entertainers.

    “We just want him to get better and to get back to everyone that loves him and get back to doing what he does best, making people laugh,” Hart said.

    He tweeted out a prayer request for his fellow comic as well.

    Oprah Winfrey’s best friend Gayle King asked her followers to keep Tracy Morgan in their hearts.

    Dog the Bounty Hunter, a.k.a. Duane Chapman, also shared his prayer request for Tracy Morgan.

    While the news about Tracy Morgan’s present condition sounds more positive it certainly sounds like the SNL alum still isn’t out of the woods. Even once his condition is officially upgraded it sounds like he has several weeks–if not months–of rehab ahead of him.

    Image via Facebook

  • Tracy Morgan, Two Members of Tour Still Critical

    Tracy Morgan and two members of his entourage remain in critical condition as of Sunday morning, according to Robert Wood Johnson Hospital spokeswoman Zenaida Mendez. He and his friends and fellow comedians had left a show in Delaware when their tour limo was hit by a tractor trailer. James McNair–longtime friend and comedian who went by ‘Jimmy Mack’ for most comedy gigs–was killed in the accident.

    Tracy Morgan’s publicist Lewis Kay kept the media apprised of the comedian and actor’s condition as of Sunday morning, too.

    “Tracy remains in critical condition,” he wrote in an email statement.

    Jeffrey Millea of Shelton, Conntecticut and Ardie Fuqua, Jr., who is also a comedian, were still listed in critical condition as of Sunday morning as well. Comedian Harris Stanton was treated and released from the hospital on Saturday with minor injuries.

    Even though Tracy Morgan, Jeffrey Millea, and Ardie Fuqua are listed as critical, the media hasn’t yet received word of the extent of their injuries.

    Twitter followers have remained faithful–sharing prayers and words of encouragement for Tracy Morgan and his family as well as for the family of James McNair. Maria Menounos, Nicki Minaj, Henry Winkler, and Kevin Nealon shared the following posts.

    Fans awaiting word on Tracy Morgan’s condition are likely checking internet posts and TV reports frequently in hopes of learning some good news. Meanwhile the family of James McNair is preparing to say their goodbyes to a loved one. The driver of the tractor trailer that hit the limo has been charged and is out of jail on bail. He likely is suffering, too. He is, after all, responsible for taking a life.

    Image via YouTube