Cake Boss star Buddy Valastro saw his right hand get severely injured last week when he tried to fix the bowling pinsetter inside his bowling alley at his New Jersey home.
The 43-year-old TV veteran had to endure two surgeries and was in the hospital for several days as seen in Instagram photos.
On Monday he described the horrible incident while on the Today show as he called it a ‘freak accident’ that was ‘crazy’ before crediting his son with ‘jumping into action’ to free him from the machine that repeatedly cut into his hand.
First interview: Cake Boss star Buddy Valastro, who saw his right hand get severely injured last week when he tried to fix the pin machine inside his bowling alley at his New jersey home, talked to the Today show on Monday
‘It’s just a really freak accident. You know, it was crazy just the way it went down,’ said the pastry chef as he propped his bandaged hand on top of a pillow while wearing a white T-shirt and gold medallion as he sat inside his home in Montville, New Jersey.
‘But I really am so proud of my sons and brother-in-laws who were here and really helped jump into action to set me free and help put me on the road to recovery.’
His has sons Buddy Jr., 16, Marco, 13, and Carlo, nine, as well as daughter Sofia, 17, with wife Lisa.
Buddy Jr was also present during the Today interview.
By his side: The star’s son Buddy Jr, who helped him during the harrowing home accident, was also on the morning show
After surgeries: Valastro injured his right hand so badly he has had to endure two surgeries; seen in the hospital last week
He said, ‘I mean, he’s my dad… I knew I had to do something. So, he told me to grab the saw, the tools. So I ran up and got them and got him out.’
Valastro also thanked first responders and doctors, saying, ‘when push really comes to shove, you see what a miracle worker they are.’
He continued, ‘It’s going to definitely be an uphill battle. And the prayers and the support from all the fans from all over the world have made me feel so special, and makes me want to fight to get better for them. You know, it makes me want to be the man that I was.’
Good son: He called the incident a ‘freak accident’ that was ‘crazy’ before crediting his son with ‘jumping into action’ to free him from the machine that repeatedly cut into his hand
Out of the blue: ‘It’s just a really freak accident. You know, it was crazy just the way it went down,’ said the pastry chef
Family first: ‘But I really am so proud of my sons and brother-in-laws who were here and really helped jump into action to set me free and help put me on the road to recovery,’ he said
He will be spending the next few months in recovery as he tries to regain use of his hand.
The injury, which he has described as ‘terrible,’ happened over a week ago when he was bowling with his wife Lisa and their kids at his home in New Jersey.
Buddy shared the news on Facebook when he uploaded a photo of himself in a hospital bed with his arm propped up.
His son was a hero: He said, ‘I mean, he’s my dad… I knew I had to do something. So, he told me to grab the saw, the tools. So I ran up and got them and got him out’
‘I was involved in a terrible accident a few days ago,’ he wrote in the caption. ‘What do you think of my new accessory?’ he joked about his cast.
‘Hey guys, Buddy here, I had a really bad accident the other day at my house with my hand … thank you for all your love and support, we’re going to get through this together,’ he added on Instagram.
He was released from the hospital on Wednesday and is recovering at home.
Sweet things: Valastro is best known as the star of the reality television series Cake Boss, which premiered in April 2009
Gruesome: His rep told People how the accident took place. ‘There was a malfunction with the bowling pinsetter, a common fix in the past, but turned into a terrible accident,’ the rep said. ‘After trying to release the bowling pin from the cage mechanism, his right hand became lodged and compressed inside the unit,’ they continued; seen in 2019
His rep told People how the accident took place. ‘There was a malfunction with the bowling pinsetter, a common fix in the past, but turned into a terrible accident,’ the rep said.
‘After trying to release the bowling pin from the cage mechanism, his right hand became lodged and compressed inside the unit,’ they continued.
‘Unable to remove his hand, he can see a 1-1/2′ metal rod slowly and repeatedly impale his hand three times between his ring finger and middle finger.’
He endured five minutes of the same move, crushing his hand.
His cute kids: His has sons Buddy Jr., 16, Marco, 13, and Carlo, nine, as well as daughter Sofia, 17 with the family dogs
His sons Buddy Jr and Marco sprung into action by using a reciprocating saw ‘to cut through the metal rod and relieve his father from the machine,’ according to the rep.
He was rushed to Morristown Memorial in New Jersey for his first surgery then Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan for his second operation where orthopedic surgeon Dr Michelle Carlson worked on him.
‘It will be an uphill battle as it’s Buddy’s dominant right hand and he will need prolonged recovery and therapy,’ Valastro’s rep added.
Valastro is best known as the star of the reality television series Cake Boss, which premiered in April 2009.
In 2018 he said talked to People about how much he likes to stay at home.
‘Honestly, I don’t like to go out,’ he noted.
He revealed that in addition to a fully-stocked refrigerator his kitchen, he also has an industrial-sized fridge and freezer in their garage. ‘All Italians got a refrigerator in the garage,’ he told the magazine. ‘That’s what we do.’
She was by his side: His wife Lisa Valastro helped him after the accident; seen at the 2019 E! People’s Choice Awards in November 2019 in Santa Monica, California