Jay Leno, a longtime talk show presenter, automobile aficionado, and comedian, is on the mend.
The Nov. 12 news that Leno, 72, had sustained severe burns to his hands, chest, and face in a fire shook his friends, family, and fans alike.
The mishap was reported as a “gasoline fire” and occurred at the garage in Burbank, California where he kept his several vehicles.
The former “Tonight Show” host checked out of the Grossman Burn Center in Los Angeles on Monday, according to NBC News, which tweeted a photo of a happy Leno with medical personnel.
Jay Leno says goodbye to staff at the Grossman Burn Center after wrapping up a 10-day stay treating his injuries from a car fire earlier this month.
📷 Grossman Burn Centerhttps://t.co/x7y2VZKglR pic.twitter.com/bT6mRDczmt
— NBC News (@NBCNews) November 21, 2022
He looked to have scars on his iconic chin, neck, and left hand, and his doctors stated that he had “components of nerve damage” as a result of the terrifying experience.
Still, Leno’s prognosis was overwhelmingly positive.
“I am pleased with Jay’s progress, and I am optimistic that he will make a full recovery,” Dr. Peter Grossman, medical director of the hospital, said in a statement, according to NBC News.
Leno told TMZ in an interview conducted from his hospital bed that he was working on his 1907 White Steam Car to replace a blocked fuel line when he was doused with gasoline due to a fuel leak. Then, a stray spark caused a minor explosion and lit him ablaze.
Jay Leno was reportedly working on 1907 Steam Car when gas fire erupted. https://t.co/wyN05piwEN pic.twitter.com/t98Qoe159R
— Road & Track (@RoadandTrack) November 16, 2022
Leno should be grateful if mild nerve damage and scarring are the worst of his injuries. This explosion may have rendered him blind or worse.
The anticipation of a full recovery makes Tim Allen’s humorous jabs at him all the funnier.
Allen, a fellow actor and comedian and Leno’s real-life friend, made a few light jabs at him during his recovery.
“His face looks great. It didn’t look all that good to begin with, so … no, he’s going with a George Clooney look. You’re going to be surprised,” Allen told the paparazzi after visiting his friend in the hospital, according to Decider.
“He’s handsome and he’s happy, and the hospital is doing a great job taking care of him,” Allen added in a moment of seriousness.
Grossman was reported in the paper as adding that Leno had had skin graft surgery and would likely have noticeable scars “for the foreseeable future.”
Leno’s role as host of “The Tonight Show” has garnered him the greatest notoriety, but he has also had a lengthy career as a stand-up comedian and has acted in several television programs and films.
Leno is an avid automotive aficionado who has turned his passion into a CNBC show, “Jay Leno’s Garage.”