American comedian and entertainer Jay Leno has rebounded from a gasoline fire accident that left him with third-degree burns on his face, chest, and hands.
"It was an accident, that's all," Leno told an American news outlet on Sunday. "Anybody who works with their hands on a regular basis is going to have an accident at some point. If you play football, you get a concussion or a broken leg. Anything you do, there's a risk factor."
On November 12, Leno had to be admitted to the Grossman Burn Center after a 1907 White Steam Car he was repairing had a fuel leak which sprayed his face, hands and chest with gas and subsequently ignited, setting him on fire.
“Eight days later, I had a brand new face. And it’s better than what was there before,” the comedian joked.
According to Peter Grossman, a reconstructive surgeon of the Grossman Burn Center, the former talk show host had to undergo a surgical excision and grafting procedure. He also had to be treated with “very aggressive” hyperbaric oxygen therapy, where oxygen is applied to burn areas in order to speed up the healing process by decreasing swelling and increasing blood flow.
According to Grossman, Leno is expected to make a full recovery.
"You have to joke about it," the host of the web series "Jay Leno's Garage" said. "There’s nothing worse than whiny celebrities. If you joke about it, people laugh along with you."
Leno has since returned to work after he had to stay at the burn center for more than a week. His first show in late November was a sold-out appearance at the Comedy Magic Club in California’s Hermosa Beach where he reportedly received a standing ovation.