Ashley Judd’s shattered leg revealed in heart-wrenching video as she gives update after ‘harrowing’ incident in Africa

Ashley Judd’s incident in Africa left her with serious injuries from which she is still recovering

Event honoree, Ashley Judd attends the 11th Annual Hope For Depression Research Foundation HOPE luncheon at The Plaza Hotel on November 8, 2017 in New York City
(Image credit: Photo by Gary Gershoff/WireImage via Getty)

Ashley Judd’s incident in Africa earlier this year left the star with a “shattered” leg, but now two months later she has taken to social media to share a deeply personal video as she continues to recover.

Having previously opened up about her accident, Ashley has now bravely shared details of her rehabilitation after she suffered a fall while hiking in the Democratic Republic of Congo in February. The star sustained several devastating injuries, including multiple breaks to her leg and nerve damage. 

At the time, she described the incident and the hours afterwards as “incredibly harrowing” in an Instagram chat with The New York Times’ Nicholas Kristof. Though now the star has revealed she is “getting back up” after this terrifying experience and has not lost her love of travel. 

Posting on Instagram, Ashley shared multiple photos, followed by a video of herself, her injured leg clearly visible. 

“I am getting back up. I remember when I began sleeping through the night. I remember when I began to have dreams again (both kinds). With the kind of injury I (& many others) have, we speak of degrees”, she explained.

“In the video, 109 degrees was an outrageous dream, & trying to reach it was agony. I did 60 of those heel slides a day. I sobbed through them. I made it because of the loving exhortation and validation of my many friends.

“Yesterday, I effortlessly reached the benchmark of 130 degrees. I can nearly reach my knee as you see in one picture. My feet can rest almost parallel”, she declared.

How is Ashley Judd recovering after her incident in Africa?

Following Ashley Judd’s incident in Africa, she has been undergoing rehabilitation and her incredibly poignant caption went on to reveal her progress and future plans following her recovery.

“The knee is coming along, the four fractures healing. The peroneal nerve injury will take at least a year”, she said, before adding, “Come June, I will walk with a brace and a cane”. 

And it seems Ashley is not quite done with travel, as she continued: “But look out, Patagonia, because when that nerve heals, you’ll be seeing me.

“My partner gave me that book for my recent birthday. I believe. Just as that little endangered bonobo knows that she’ll be seeing me back in the Congolese rain forest soon.” 

What happened to Ashley Judd?

Ashley, who is perhaps best known for her role in Divergent, seriously injured her leg while on a trip in February to see endangered bonobos. 

The star had been hiking in the Democratic Republic of Congo when she tripped over a fallen tree in the dark, breaking her leg in four places and sustaining nerve damage. 

It reportedly took 55 hours from the point of her incident to reach the operating table, as she was rescued from the jungle and traveled to hospital in South Africa for her initial treatment.

Speaking to Nicholas Kristof from an ICU Trauma Unit for their Instagram chat in February, Ashley thanked everyone for their “thoughts and their prayers and their support” at this difficult time, while also talking about her love for the beautiful bonobos.

Later that month, Ashley made the journey back to the US and posted that she was recovering after surgery. 

Emma Shacklock

Emma is a Royal Editor with eight years experience working in publishing. Her specialist areas include the British Royal Family, ranging from protocol to outfits. Alongside putting her royal knowledge to good use, Emma knows all there is to know about the latest TV shows on the BBC, ITV and more. When she’s not writing about the next unmissable show to add to your to-watch list or delving into royal protocol, Emma enjoys cooking, long walks and watching yet more crime dramas!