By India McCarty
Fans might have been worried about Jay Leno’s recent series of injuries, but the former late night host is brushing off the concern.
“People get banged up in real jobs all the time,” he said during an appearance on IN DEPTH WITH GRAHAM BENSINGER.
Last year, Leno sustained a broken wrist and serious bruising after falling down a hill before a show in Pennsylvania. Despite his injuries, he still went onstage a few hours later.
“I had a show to do,” he explained. “I mean, you have an audience waiting there, what are you gonna say, ‘Excuse me, oh I banged my head?’”
Leno continued, “That was pretty funny that I fell down that stupid hill…I broke my wrist, I think I cracked something. Not too bad. But my face got really bashed in.”
His fall wasn’t the only episode that had fans worried. Two years ago, Leno suffered serious burns after a gas fire broke out in his garage. Shortly after that, he broke several bones during a motorcycle accident.
“You know, after getting burned up, you get that one for free,” Leno joked to The Las Vegas Review-Journal about his reluctance to share his many accidents with the public. “After that, you’re Harrison Ford, crashing airplanes. You just want to keep your head down.”
Instead of focusing on his recent injuries, Leno is primarily concerned with taking care of his wife Mavis, who has been diagnosed with dementia.
Related: Jay Leno Reflects on Life After Major Injuries: ‘I’ve Got A Lot To Be Grateful For’
“When you get married, you sort of take a vow: ‘Will I live up to this?’” he explained, adding, “I enjoy the time with my wife. I go home, I cook dinner for her, watch TV, and it’s okay.”
Leno continued, “It’s basically what we did before, except now I have to feed her and do all those things. But, I like it. I like taking care of her. She’s a very independent woman, so I like that I’m needed.”
He was granted conservatorship of Mavis last year. His petition was supported by Mavis’ neurologist, Dr. Hart Cohen, who, per PEOPLE, called Leno “such a nice man,” adding, “[He] treats [Mavis] like gold.”
The couple have been married for over 40 years, and the former late night host told PEOPLE one of his marriage secrets.
“I always tell guys when they meet a woman, ‘Marry your conscience. Marry someone who’s the person you wish you could be and it works out okay,’” Leno shared.
Despite his series of strange injuries, Leno is continuing to focus on his wife — and to look on the bright side.
Read Next: How Jay Leno Chooses Love Amid Wife’s Dementia Battle
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