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    Andrew Flintoff Reflects on Life After Car Crash
Andrew Flintoff Reflects on Life After Car Crash
Andrew Flintoff. Source: reddit.com

Andrew Flintoff Reflects on Life After Car Crash

Andrew Flintoff felt he was fortunate to survive a high-speed car crash, believing he was given "a second go" at life, though he anticipates dealing with its physical and psychological impacts "for the rest of my life."

The former England all-rounder underwent multiple facial surgeries after the accident, which occurred while filming for the British TV show Top Gear in December 2022. Flintoff, who has remained largely out of the public eye since the incident, addresses the crash and its effects on his mental health in the upcoming season of the BBC show Freddie Flintoff's Field of Dreams.

Flintoff expressed his amazement at surviving the crash, stating, "I genuinely should not be here, with what happened." The footage, filmed from his bed in the weeks following the crash and set to be broadcast next week, shows him reflecting on his recovery journey. He accentuated the importance of focusing on the positives, saying, "I'm still here. I've got another chance, I've got to go at it. I'm seeing that as how it is: a second go."

During the months following the accident, Flintoff kept a low profile while healing. The series captures his conversation with close friend and former Lancashire teammate Kyle Hogg in July 2023. Flintoff revealed that he initially believed he could quickly recover, but found it much more challenging than expected. He shared, "As much as I've wanted to go out and do things, I've just not been able to. Everywhere I go at the moment, I've got a full face mask and glasses on. I struggle with anxiety: I have nightmares, I have flashbacks. It's been so hard to cope with. But I'm thinking if I don't do something, I'm never going to go. I've got to get on with it."

In the first series of Field of Dreams, Flintoff and Hogg assembled a group of teenagers in Preston, Flintoff's hometown, and introduced them to cricket, forming a team that played friendly matches in 2022. In the second series, they take the team on a tour to Kolkata, which was delayed by a year due to Flintoff's accident.

When asked by one of the boys, Finn, if he felt "100%" before the trip, Flintoff replied, "Not really. I don't know if I will again, to be honest. I don't know what 'completely better' is. I am what I am now. I'm different to what I was. It's something that I'll probably have to deal with for the rest of my life. Better? No. Different."

Since his injuries, Flintoff has gradually returned to cricket in various coaching roles. He has served as an assistant coach with England's white-ball teams, including at June's T20 World Cup, and is currently the head coach of the Northern Superchargers in the men's Hundred, who have won three of their first four games.

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