Nev Schulman, longtime television host and producer of the MTV reality series “Catfish: The TV Show,” says he’s lucky to be alive after breaking his neck in a bike accident.
“I never made it to pick up my son from school on the bike. In fact in some ways, I’m glad I didn’t. I was alone on impact. Me and the truck. And then I guess the pavement. I was alone and unconscious. And then conscious,” he wrote.
Sharing photos and video of the aftermath, Schulman said he was taken to Stony Brook Southampton Hospital in New York, where he received care and discovered the full extent of his injuries.
“I broke my neck. C5 and C6 to be exact. Stable fractures. I’m not paralyzed. My hands were a question mark there for a minute but the human body is incredible and so are HUMANS,” he wrote before thanking EMS workers and hospital staff.
“The incredible knowledge and care from everyone in the medical community has been so remarkable.”
It is unclear where the accident occurred or how it exactly happened, but Schulman now understands the true meaning of the saying “life can change in an instant.”
“It’s hard to feel sorry for myself when I hear from the doctors about how many people with similar injuries will never walk again.”
Schulman, who shares three children with wife Laura Perlongo, is grateful to be alive and back at home surrounded by his loved ones.
“I’m lucky to be here, alive, standing and hugging my family, projected to make a full recovery. And I’m really starting to understand the meaning of gratitude. For the big and little things before the accident, and now everything moving forward.”
In his post, Schulman reflected on the “magical” day of fishing “full of love and wonder” he had with his family just one day prior to the accident.
“Monday was not a day like that. Monday was a day where I learned what ‘before the accident’ really means. And Monday gave weight to just how lucky I was to have Sunday.”
“We hadn’t planned on fishing last Sunday and my instinct was to say no to scramble-planning a day trip, but looking back a week later, I’m so glad I said yes,” he added.
Schulman starred in the 2010 documentary “Catfish,” before later hosting the MTV series based on it—"Catfish: The TV Show”. For nine seasons, he tracked down Internet scammers or people who posed as others online.
