(NEW YORK) — An impaled hand sounds like a scene straight out of a horror movie, but Cake Boss’ Buddy Valastro won’t be going near a bowling ball anytime soon. The acclaimed baker revealed that a “really bad accident” landed him in the hospital.
Posting a photo Wednesday of him in a hospital bed as his heavily bandaged right hand hangs from a sling, the 43-year-old chef told fans he “was involved in a terrible accident a few days ago” before joking, “What do you think of my new accessory?”
Valastro revealed on an Instagram story that the incident happened at his house, but remained mum on what exactly happened.
His representative spoke to People about the reality star’s freak accident, revealing, “There was a malfunction with the bowling pinsetter, a common fix in the past, but it turned into a terrible accident.”
“After trying to release the bowling pin from the cage mechanism, his right hand became lodged and compressed inside the unit,” the representative continued, adding the unsettling detail that the Cake Boss star watched in horror as “a 1-1/2″ metal rod slowly and repeatedly impale[d] his hand three times between his ring finger and middle finger.”
Thankfully, his two sons — Buddy Jr., 16, and Marco, 13 — were able to grab a saw and “cut through the metal rod and relieve [Valastro] from the machine.”
The chef is resting comfortably at home after undergoing two surgeries to save his mangled hand.
The representative didn’t mince words when confirming, “It will be an uphill battle as it’s Buddy’s dominant right hand and he will need prolonged recovery and therapy.”
Valastro is reportedly in high spirits, telling fans “We’re going to get through this together” and wants well wishers to text him at 201-822-9218.
By Megan Stone
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