‘You Are Angels’: Tracy Morgan Thanks the Nurses Who Saved His Life
- In 2014, actor and comedian Tracy Morgan was hit by a semitruck driver who had been awake for 28 hours.
- The crash killed Morgan's friend and left Morgan in a coma with a traumatic brain injury, forcing him to relearn how to walk and talk.
- He spent his recovery at the Hackensack Meridian JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute in Edison, NJ, and returned to present the Tracy Morgan Award for Rehabilitation Nursing Excellence to Gilbert Recto, an assistant nurse manager in the brain trauma unit.
Actor and comedian Tracy Morgan returned to the Hackensack Meridian JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute in Edison, NJ, a place where his recovery journey began after a devastating car crash, to thank the nurses who cared for him.
During an emotional ceremony, Morgan presented the Tracy Morgan Award for Rehabilitation Nursing Excellence to Gilbert Recto, an assistant nurse manager in the brain trauma unit. The annual award recognizes rehabilitation nurses who demonstrate extraordinary compassion, clinical skill, and leadership in the care of patients with traumatic brain injuries.
“You are angels,” Morgan told the gathered nurses, therapists, and clinicians. “You put your own lives aside every day to help other people. I love you all for that.”
A Journey of Recovery and Gratitude
In June 2014, Morgan sustained a severe traumatic brain injury in a crash on the New Jersey Turnpike that left him in a coma. The accident occurred as a result of a Walmart truck driver who had been awake for 28 hours and was speeding. Morgan's friend and fellow comedian, James McNair, was tragically killed in the collision.
At JFK Johnson, Morgan began the long rehabilitation process. His injuries were so severe that he had to learn to walk, talk, and live independently again.
That experience shaped his deep appreciation for rehabilitation nursing.
“I remember you all told me everything was going to be all right. I didn’t believe it then,” he shared. “But you were there, every day, putting other people’s suffering ahead of your own.”
Celebrating Excellence in Nursing
Award recipient and assistant nurse manager Gilbert Recto said the honor reminds him why he chose a career in nursing. The nurse manager stated that he does what he does in hopes that "all" his patients can have the type of outcomes that Morgan was fortunate enough to have, and return to full and healthy lives.
Recto’s colleagues describe him as a compassionate leader and mentor who embodies the best of rehabilitation nursing.
"I remember you all took care of me, and told me everything is going to be all right," Morgan said of the nurses who treated him, Recto included. "I didn’t believe it at the time. But you all were there. Every day you put other people’s suffering ahead of your own."
Inspiring Patients Facing Their Own Challenges
Following the award presentation, Morgan met with patients recovering from traumatic injuries, sharing words of encouragement and hope. He embraced Russell Steele, a young man from Browns Mills who, despite tremors caused by a brain injury, stood from his wheelchair to hug the comedian.
He also encouraged Malachi Gaddy of Plainfield, who is recovering from both a brain injury and an amputation after being struck by a car.
Dr. Sara Cuccurullo, Chair and Medical Director of the institute, expressed gratitude for Morgan’s ongoing connection to the center.
“We are thankful for the inspiration Tracy continues to bring to our patients and for the light he shines on the compassionate and specialized work of our rehabilitation nurses.”
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