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Tanner Gallagher, who was one of HARDY’s team members involved in a recent tour bus crash, is opening up about what happened during the “terrifying” accident and expressing how thankful he is that everyone survived.
Gallagher, a photographer and videographer, said in an Instagram post that he and three others — HARDY, their bus driver Ricky and their tour manager Noah — were on board the bus around 2:30 a.m. on Sunday, October 2. The group was leaving a show in Tennessee when “our bus ran off the highway at around 70mph flipping us into the woods,” Gallagher reflected. He said he was in the lounge with HARDY and Noah was asleep in his bunk when it happened. “Within what felt like 3 seconds, our bodies were thrown across the room knocking us all unconscious. By the grace of God, we all survived.”
Gallagher said he sustained four broken ribs, a fractured vertebrae in his neck and other injuries, and “it’s been f***ing terrible.” He shared a few photos on Instagram of his gruesome injuries throughout his recovery so far, and a few shots of the tour bus in the aftermath of the accident. Still, through the pain, Gallagher emphasized an important message:
“Although I sit here in pain, wrapped up in casts and hardly able to move for the next few weeks/months, I need to point out something important. I was told numerous times by doctors that it was a miracle that we survived… and that’ll make you think. I think about the times that i’ve spent worrying, stressed, upset, been less present or simply took for granted, and it kills me. I think about all the people in my life, family, friends, co workers, etc. and wished that I could have spent more time with them or somehow made them feel better in moments with something as simple and little as a compliment. Most of all, I think about perspective, in that it’s so easy for us to lose sight of all of the things we have. Take it from me, be grateful for f***ing EVERYTHING. Even if it means just being healthy or being able to wake up for another day to spend doing the things you love. As scary and life threatening as this accident was, I’m glad I now have a better outlook moving forward and it’s only going uphill from here. I know this accident could have been a lot worse and for that i’m so grateful. I’m also incredibly thankful for every message, prayer and every person who helped me over the past week, it meant the world.”
Gallagher ended his post by noting that he’ll “be laid up in bed and in a wheelchair for a awhile, and that’s okay. So if anyone wants to drop off lunch or something, I will definitely will not stop you.” He also asked someone to tell Sarah Hardy that he apologizes for swearing, to which HARDY commented: “My mom is gonna kill you. Love you man. We are so lucky.”
HARDY — who recently dropped three songs from his upcoming country-rock album and announced his tour, with the go-ahead from his team — announced in a statement on October 2 that the group sustained “significant injuries” following the crash. Days later, he shared a heartfelt update, explaining that “Tanner is OK (and) Noah is OK,” but asked for continued prayers for their driver, Ricky. “…he needs all the love and all the prayers that he can get. I love you guys, and we will 100% bounce back from this, and it’s gonna be bigger and better than it ever was before.”