The former host of The Tonight Show, Jay Leno, went through some tough times in the latter part of 2022. First, he got seriously burned while fixing one of his old cars, spending nine days in a burn center. Then, he had a motorcycle accident, breaking two ribs and his collarbone.

Despite all this, Leno stayed positive. Now, he hosts shows like Jay Leno’s Garage and You Bet Your Life. In an interview at the Hot Wheels: Ultimate Challenge premiere, he talked about his retirement plans.

Leno made it clear he loves his job and won’t retire unless something unexpected, like a stroke, happens. He said, “That’s when you retire when you have your stroke.” Even after his recent troubles, Leno is determined to keep going.

After his hospital stay and some skin grafting, he quickly got back to work. He even returned to the Comedy Magic Club, where he received a warm welcome from a sold-out crowd.

During an interview about the car fire, Leno admitted working with cars can be risky. He knew he was close to danger, saying, “I knew how close I was to the pilot light, and I thought, ‘Uh oh.’” He compared the burns to the worst sunburn ever and underwent skin grafts and hyperbaric chamber sessions for healing.

Remarkably, Leno decided not to use painkillers, seeing them as a painful reminder of his mistake. Throughout his tough time, he received a lot of love and support from family and famous friends like John Travolta, Tom Selleck, and Russell Crowe.

Leno’s wife, Mavis, spoke about the touching gestures from these friends, showing the deep connections they’ve built over their long lives.