| ‘His head swelled up to about five times normal size’: The horrific car crash that almost killed Stevie Wonder, 50 years on

Stevie Wonder was in a severe car accident on Interstate 85 in North Carolina, just days after releasing “Innervisions.” The crash left him in a coma with severe head injuries. Initial reports claimed a large log had struck his head, but this was later disputed. Wonder underwent life-saving surgery and faced a slow, painful recovery, losing his sense of smell and taste. Ira Tucker Jr., his chief of staff, sang to him, believing music played a crucial role in his recovery. Despite doctors’ advice to cancel his tour, Wonder gradually regained confidence, marking his return to the stage with a surprise appearance at an Elton John concert. Reflecting on the accident, he said, “God gave me life to continue to do things that I would never have done.”