See Jay Leno Showing His Burns In Public Photo

As Jay Leno is being released from the hospital following his terrifying accident, the former late night host shows his burn scars online.

By Mark McKee | Published 2 years ago

Passions make the world go round; finding that one thing you love and pursuing it for a lifetime is one of the fastest ways to a long and fulfilled life. Aside from making us laugh for decades as a late-night host, Jay Leno’s passion has been cars. In the above image, Leno is seen for the first time following a terrifying accident that left him with devastating burns on his body. 

Just over a week ago, the late-night legend was working on one of the vehicles in his expansive car garage, a 1907 White Steam, when a spark combined with a gas leak engulfed the 72-year-old in flames. He was rushed to the hospital to treat severe injuries to his face, chest, arm, and hands. In the newest photographic update, you can see the burns around his jawline and down his wrist and hand on his left side. 

According to a statement by the doctors, as reported by CNN, Jay Leno is being discharged following a ten-day stay in the unit and will receive further treatment from the Grossman Outpatient Burn Facility. He continued by stating that the former stand-up comedian is grateful for the care he received and the well-wishes during his stay. He also says Leno is looking forward to spending Thanksgiving with family and friends and wishes everyone a happy holiday. 

Jay Leno has never been one to hide his love for automotive rarities, and that he is a dedicated gearhead. It is hard to tell exactly what his car collection is worth because he is constantly buying and selling vehicles to keep the collection from gathering dust. But estimates show that the garage near the Burbank Airport holds a collection of cars valued anywhere between $50 to $100 million. 

Some of the most expensive vehicles in his collection are the McLaren F1, which could fetch about $12 million at auction, and the 1934 Duesenberg Walker Coup, which can pull in a whopping $20 million if he were ever to sell it. The most expensive vehicle Jay Leno owns may be one that the man himself designed, The Eco-Jet. Leno worked with General Motors to develop the car and showcased it at the 2006 SEMA show in Las Vegas. 

Leno’s background was in stand-up comedy before he took over for Johnny Carson on The Late Show in 1992 amid some controversy with fellow late-night host David Letterman, who was the expected successor. Jay Leno worked as the late-night host until 2009 before retiring for a year and giving way to Conan O’Brien. He returned a year later to host for another four before walking away for good in 2014. 

Leno hasn’t been stagnant in retirement as he began hosting Jay Leno’s Garage as a web series before it became a primetime series in 2015. He still spends his time on the show restoring classic cars and reviewing rare and vintage vehicles. And making apologies to other late-show hosts and for old jokes. 

While he clearly loves what he does, this accident and recovery may be just what it takes to slow the 72-year-old down so he can relax. Don’t be surprised if you still see him rolling around downtown LA in some of the rarest cars.