Morgan Freeman Hospitalized At EP Trauma

Morgan Freeman Hospitalized At EP Trauma.

Academy Award winning actor Morgan Freeman, 71, is currently hospitalized at the Elvis Presley Trauma Center in Memphis after a serious car accident near Ruleville, Miss on Sunday night. Freeman is a Memphis native who owns a night club, Ground Zero in Memphis. He resides in Mississippi.

Morgan Freeman has been in such films as Driving Miss Daisy, The Shawshank Redemption, Kiss The Girls, Along Came A Spider, High Crimes, Million Dollar Baby, Gone Baby Gone, The Bucket List, and currently The Dark Knight. He will play Nelson Mandela in a 2009 film titled The Human Factor.

Morgan co-starred with Ashley Judd in Kiss The Girls and High Crimes. Ashley is Larry Strickland's step daughter. Larry was a member of the Stamps with Elvis in the 70's. Larry is married to Naomi Judd, formerly of The Judds. She is mother to Wynonna Judd and Ashley Judd.

Morgan was driving home around 11:30 PM Sunday night on highway 32 in Tallahatchie County when he apparently lost control on the narrow two lane highway flipping his car several times. The actor was airlifted from the accident scene to the Trauma Center. Alcohol is not suspected as a factor in the wreck. And both victims were wearing seat belts at the time. Heavy rain may have caused the accident.

A spokesperson at the Regional Medical Center in Memphis has said Morgan Freeman's condition remains "serious". Freeman underwent surgery Monday night.

"Morgan has a broken arm, elbow and has minor shoulder damage but was in good spirits when I spoke with him a short time ago at the Elvis Presley Memorial Trauma Center at The MED, a Level 1 Trauma Center at the Regional Medical Center at Memphis. He is having a little bit of surgery this afternoon or tomorrow to help correct the damage. He says he'll be OK and is looking forward to a full recovery."

Folks are welcome to send well wishes - no flowers or gifts - to:

PO Box 16548, Encino, CA 91416 in care of Morgan Freeman
Or they can blog him at: http://www.planitnow.org/morgan/
He and we thank everyone who has sent them for the good wishes and prayers.

said Donna Lee - Spokesperson/Publicist for Morgan Freeman
The Trauma center has been flooded with calls from across the globe with get well wishes for Morgan.

Morgan's passenger was Demaris Meyer, 48 of Memphis. She suffered minor injuries. Morgan was driving her 1997 Nissan at the time of the accident. Meyer is a close friend to Freeman's wife who was out of town Sunday.

An editor for a local Mississippi newspaper told the AP when one on looker whipped out a cell phone at the scene of Morgan Freeman's accident and tried to snap a picture of the actor, Freeman joked, "no freebies, no freebies." Cops say Freeman was coherent and talking to police and paramedics.

Someone living close to the scene of the accident reported he was watching tv when he heard the crash.
He looked out the window and witnessed the car flipping several times. He then grabbed a flash light and ran to assist. He said the car was crumpled and he expected fatalities. He immediately recognized the actor who was unconscious. He ran back to his home to call 911.

The witness also said the car door was jammed shut and the windshield was shattered and on the injured passengers. He said the trunk had opened exposing lots of garden tools, recipe books, and herbs and spices. When the witness returned to the scene , both victims were conscious but not totally coherent. Rescue workers used the Jaws of Life to free them from the car.

A former employee said this about Freeman,"He's tough as shoe leather. He'll be fine."

Freeman stars as Lucius Fox in the latest Batman movie "The Dark Knight," which was the top-grossing film at the box office for the third straight week. He won an Oscar for his supporting role in 2004's "Million Dollar Baby." Some people are asking is the Batman movie cursed? Between Heath Ledger's sudden death, Christian Bale's assault charges from his mother and sister and now Freeman's car accident.

Morgan is said to now be up walking and in good spirits. He is looking forward to going home.

The Elvis Presley Memorial Trauma Center at The MED is one of the busiest level one trauma centers in the nation, with over 4,000 admissions annually, and is a leader in orthopedics and neurosurgery.

A dedicated team of trauma staff works around-the-clock using the most advanced medical equipment and expertise. Medical breakthroughs developed here are quickly adopted nationwide as standard practice in trauma care.

The original dedication of the Elvis Presley Memorial Trauma Center was in 1983. Fans from throughout the world have sought ways in which to participate in the mission of this Center of Excellence and to memorialize Elvis Presley. For their efforts and those businesses who continue to support the work done at the EPMTC, a "Wall of Honor" was established by the MED Foundation in 1990. The wall today consists of nearly 300 plaques, each of which is inscribed according to the wish of the donor along with a date.

One need only to look at the names, fan clubs, and countries from which financial support has come to this Center. It is truly a fitting tribute to the memory of Elvis and what he stood for that his many fans have made this Center of Excellence a priority for their charitable contributions.

Over the last two decades, the center's 24-hour team of surgeons, anesthesiologists, CRNAs, nurses, respiratory therapists, orderlies, x-ray techs, lab techs and medical students has treated over 80,000 trauma patients in a six-state area.


2008/08/06 www.elvisunlimited.com / www.epgold.com

It seems as though Morgan's going to ok...although this Batman film almost seems doomed...all the tings that have gone wrong...