Just reading about the bus crash that HARDY was involved in three years ago makes me uneasy. It sounds truly frightening. Fortunately, he is okay, but has to deal with severe trauma afterwards. He recently talked about the scary experience, and what he did after that helped him. Per People, HARDY was a guest on the Nashville Now podcast from Rolling Stone. He talked frankly about what happened the day of the crash and how badly it affected him.
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HARDY Said That the Bus Driver Seemed To Be Having a Problem
Per the outlet via Nashville Now, the singer said their bus driver wasn't himself for some reason. Then disaster struck. "We got about two more miles down the road, and he had either an aneurysm or seizure while driving and we barreled off the side of the road. The bus flipped over three times." HARDY lost consciousness. When he came to, the vehicle was upside-down so he was actually on its ceiling. Even more dire was the fact that the bus was just about impossible to spot from the road.
"Like a Bomb Went Off"
HARDY's memory of what happened is chilling. "It went from being a bus to a movie set, like a bomb went off. I crawled out of the front windshield, which was busted open... The bus had gone so far down the hill that you couldn't see it from the highway. So, all these trucks and cars were flying by and they couldn't see us."
He added, "I had a black hoodie with a big white circle on it and all I could think to do is take that hoodie off and try to wave people down. I did that for about 30 minutes and I could not get somebody to stop." Those aboard the bus were hurt but they all made it out alive. HARDY injured his head and back.
The crash could have proven lethal. He said, "When I woke up, the bus windows are long like this, and my head was underneath the top of the panel. If we would have slid another foot, it'd have cut my head off."
The Emotional Aftereffects Lingered
HARDY endured panic attacks after the crash. He was put in the hospital because of them. He revealed his situation to his fans on Instagram. "I need to be honest with everyone for a second. I've been dealing with some serious anxiety since the bus accident last year, and over the last two weeks it has taken control of my life. It's caused me to suffer many panic attacks, which have landed me in the hospital. I need a moment to focus on me and to make myself better for my wife, family and you, the fans."
He Reflected on the Impact the Accident Had on Him
HARDY mentioned, "I think since then, it's been really on my mind... it either talks about being proud of who you are and kinda going down like that or like living your life. Go to Paris... Live your life because we're going to die and that's a head space I've lived in over the past couple of years."
One therapy that he said he used is EDMR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing). The EMDR International Association defines it as something that "encourages the patient to focus briefly on the trauma memory while simultaneously experiencing bilateral stimulation (typically eye movements), which is associated with a reduction in the vividness and emotion associated with the trauma memories."
He Found It Cathartic To Be Upfront About His Situation
HARDY said, "After this whole experience I've got no shame. It was so overwhelming for me that I really just don't wish that on anybody... It's more taboo for men to speak out on it and I know that there's guys out there that are just eating it every day, and that's not good for you." Great advice from someone who has been there.
