Logan Reid
Tracy Morgan is an American stand-up comedian and actor who has been open about his health struggles over the years. In 2014, he was involved in a devastating multi-vehicle crash that left him with severe injuries and the loss of his close friend and fellow comedian, James Jimmy Mack McNair. Morgan suffered multiple broken bones, a traumatic brain injury, and spent two weeks in a coma. He faced a long and challenging recovery, both physically and emotionally, and his career was put on hold. In addition to this accident, Morgan has also faced other health issues, including diabetes and a kidney transplant in 2010. More recently, in March 2025, he suffered a medical emergency at a New York Knicks game, which was later revealed to be due to food poisoning.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of Hospitalization | March 17, 2025 |
| Reason | Food poisoning |
| Symptoms | Vomiting, bloody nose |
| Previous Health Issues | Diabetes, traumatic brain injury, broken leg |
| Previous Hospitalizations | June 2014, after a car accident |
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What You'll Learn
Tracy Morgan's food poisoning at a Knicks game
On Monday, March 18, 2025, Tracy Morgan, a 56-year-old actor and comedian, suffered from food poisoning during a Knicks-Heat game at Madison Square Garden. Morgan, a longtime Knicks fan, fell ill in the second half of the game, causing a delay of more than 10 minutes as workers cleaned up the area around his seat.
Morgan was featured prominently during the "`Saturday Night Live` 50th-anniversary weekend events", including the "SNL50: The Homecoming Concert" and the live "SNL50: The Anniversary Celebration" special. He has faced multiple health challenges over the years, including a kidney transplant in 2010 and a traumatic brain injury from a 2014 accident that put him in a coma.
On Tuesday morning, Morgan posted an update on Instagram, along with a smiling photo from a hospital bed, thanking fans for their concern. He wrote:
> "I'm doing ok now and doctors say it was food poisoning. Appreciate my MSG family for taking such good care of me and I need to shout out the crew that had to clean that up. Appreciate you! More importantly, the Knicks are now 1-0 when I throw up on the court so maybe I'll have to break it out again in the playoffs #goknicks."
Food poisoning, or food intoxication, can be serious, especially for individuals with pre-existing health conditions or chronic illnesses. It can cause a loss of fluids and sudden vomiting, as experienced by Morgan during the game.
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Morgan's near-fatal car crash in 2014
In June 2014, Tracy Morgan was involved in a near-fatal car crash on the New Jersey Turnpike. The accident occurred when a Walmart truck crashed into the back of a limousine van carrying Morgan and three other comedians, Harris Stanton, Morgan's assistant, and two limousine company employees. The group was returning from an engagement at Dover Downs Hotel & Casino in Dover, Delaware, as part of Morgan's "Turn it Funny" stand-up comedy tour.
The Walmart truck driver, Kevin Roper, had been awake for 24 hours and was speeding. He pleaded guilty to one count of vehicular homicide and four counts of assault by auto but secured a plea deal to avoid prison time. Roper was sentenced to pay fines, serve 300 hours of community service, and probation.
As a result of the crash, Morgan suffered a broken femur, a broken nose, several broken ribs, and a traumatic brain injury (TBI). He was taken by helicopter to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, New Jersey, where he underwent surgery on his leg. Morgan remained in a coma for two weeks and faced a long and challenging recovery. He was released from the hospital and transferred to a rehabilitation facility on June 20, 2014, and was finally discharged from the rehab center on July 12, 2014.
The accident resulted in the death of Morgan's close friend and fellow comedian, James "Jimmy Mack" McNair, and left Morgan with physical and emotional scars. Morgan has spoken about his acceptance of fate and deep faith in the wake of the tragedy, reflecting on McNair's passing. Morgan's career was also impacted, with the accident halting his promising trajectory as a TV star and comedian.
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The death of his friend, James McNair
On June 7, 2014, Tracy Morgan was involved in a devastating multi-vehicle crash on the New Jersey Turnpike. The accident was caused by a Walmart 18-wheeler truck that rear-ended the limousine van carrying Morgan and three other comedians, including his friend and collaborator, James "Jimmy Mack" McNair. The impact resulted in a six-car pileup that left Morgan with severe injuries and tragically killed McNair.
James McNair, known by his stage names Jimmy Mack and Uncle Jimmy Mack, was an American comedian and writer. He was born on October 1, 1951, in Peekskill, New York, and grew up in Brooklyn, where he became friends with Morgan. McNair was a friend, mentor, and collaborator to Morgan, and the two had a close relationship. They had met at Harlem's Uptown Comedy Club when Morgan was first starting out in the comedy world. McNair, who was 62 at the time of his death, was well-known and loved in his community for his big personality and his frequent volunteering at local churches and fundraising events.
The accident left Morgan with a broken femur, a broken nose, several broken ribs, severe leg injuries, and a traumatic brain injury that put him in a coma for two weeks. He underwent surgery on his leg on June 8 and was released from the hospital on June 20, 2014, after which he was transferred to a rehabilitation facility to continue his recovery. Morgan's recovery was long and challenging, and he has spoken about the emotional toll of losing his friend in the accident. Despite the difficulties, Morgan has credited his faith, family, and comedy for helping him through this difficult time.
The driver of the Walmart truck, Kevin Roper, initially pleaded not guilty to one count of death by auto and four counts of assault by auto. However, he later accepted a plea deal in which he pleaded guilty but served no jail time. Roper was sentenced to pay fines, perform community service, and serve probation. Morgan and McNair's family also filed lawsuits against Walmart, alleging that the company was responsible for the extensive damage and loss caused by the accident.
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Morgan's history of health issues
Tracy Morgan has been open about his health issues over the years. In 2010, the actor underwent a kidney transplant. Morgan has also spoken about his struggles with diabetes, a condition that led him to take the type 2 diabetes drug Ozempic to aid with weight loss.
In June 2014, Morgan was involved in a devastating multi-vehicle crash on the New Jersey Turnpike, which left him with severe injuries, including several broken ribs, a broken leg, a shattered femur, a broken nose, and a traumatic brain injury (TBI). The accident, caused by a Walmart truck, resulted in a six-car pileup that killed his close friend and fellow comedian, James "Jimmy Mack" McNair. Morgan remained in a coma for two weeks and faced a long and challenging recovery. He dealt with symptoms from his TBI, including depression, anxiety, mood swings, and other cognitive problems. He spent several months in a wheelchair, learning to walk again, and reflected on the emotional toll of losing his friend.
In June 2019, Morgan was involved in another car accident, this time a minor collision in his newly purchased Bugatti Veyron. He was captured on video yelling at the other driver, who reportedly felt traumatized by his conduct.
Most recently, in March 2025, Morgan suffered a medical emergency at a New York Knicks game, experiencing vomiting and a bloody nose. He later shared an update on Instagram, attributing the incident to food poisoning and expressing his gratitude for the support he received.
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The truck driver's plea deal
In 2014, Tracy Morgan was involved in a life-threatening automobile accident on the New Jersey Turnpike. A Walmart truck crashed into the limousine that Morgan was travelling in, resulting in a six-car accident. The truck driver, Kevin Roper, was reportedly fatigued at the time of the accident, having been awake for over 24 hours, and was very close to the federal limit of 14 hours of driving per day. Roper pleaded not guilty to one count of death by auto and four counts of assault by auto. However, he later accepted a plea deal and pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide.
As part of the plea deal, Roper avoided prison time and was instead sentenced to 300 hours of community service, fines, and probation. He was eligible for this non-prosecution diversion program as a first-time offender. If he successfully completes the program, all charges will be dismissed, and he will not have a criminal record. Roper's defence attorney, David Glassman, emphasised the benefits of this deal, allowing Roper to move on with his life without a trial or a criminal record.
Morgan suffered severe injuries in the accident, including a traumatic brain injury, broken ribs, a broken leg, and a broken nose. He was in a coma for two weeks and faced a long recovery process, including rehabilitation for his physical injuries and cognitive problems such as memory loss, depression, anxiety, and mood swings. Morgan also settled a lawsuit with Walmart, although the terms of the settlement were not publicly disclosed. It has been speculated that Morgan may have received a settlement of over $90 million.
The accident sparked discussions about truck driver fatigue and led to the introduction of FMCSA regulations in 2013 to reduce driver fatigue. Senators Cory Booker and Richard Blumenthal advocated for improved safety measures, highlighting how a fatigued driver can turn a truck into a dangerous weapon. The Tracy Morgan accident was a tragic example of the devastating consequences of driver fatigue and the need for stricter regulations in the trucking industry.
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Frequently asked questions
Tracy Morgan was involved in a multi-vehicle crash in 2014, which left him with several broken ribs, a broken leg, a shattered femur, a broken nose, and a traumatic brain injury. He was hospitalised and remained in a coma for two weeks.
Tracy Morgan suffered a medical emergency at a New York Knicks game in March 2025. He was courtside when he began vomiting and was bleeding from his nose. He was wheeled out of the arena in a wheelchair and later revealed that the cause was food poisoning.
Tracy Morgan has been open about his health issues, including diabetes and a kidney transplant in 2010. He has also faced mental health struggles, including a long struggle with depression, anxiety, and mood swings following his 2014 accident.
