• Michail Antonio sang to his followers as he celebrated his birthday in style
• He also revealed his gratitude to God for still being alive after his car crash
Michail Antonio has a renewed vigour for life.
The West Ham star says his car crash last year has made him appreciate being alive as he celebrates his 35th birthday.
On December 7, Antonio was airlifted to hospital with a broken leg after being cut from the wreckage of his £260,000 grey Ferrari by fire crews in Essex.
After colliding with a tree on his way home from training in Epping Forest, the striker was trapped for more than 45 minutes and feared for his life.
He is not expected to return for the Hammers this season but was in good spirits as he encouraged his followers to ‘live it up’.
‘Since my 30th birthday I’ve woke up on my birthdays not really fussed about the day, and I did the same thing this morning until the realisation hit me (that) I actually almost didn’t make it to this birthday,’ he wrote on Instagram.
Michail Antonio says he is grateful to God for being alive to see his 35th birthday
The 35-year-old was in a devastating car crash in December which left him with a broken leg
In an Instagram Story, the West Ham star sang happy birthday to himself in the back of a car
‘So I just want to thank God for saving me and allowing me to make it to another birthday
‘I also want to say happy birthday to everyone whose birthday it is today. Let’s live it up.’
He shared a photo of himself smiling in a brown hoodieand a safari-style bucket hat.
Later, he posted a video on his Instagram Story singing happy birthday to himself in the back of a car, with a particularly impressive falsetto note at the end.
‘It’s my birthday, I’m going to have fun if I want to,’ he wrote.
Earlier this month, Antonio made an emotional return to the London Stadium for West Ham’s 1-0 defeat by Newcastle, waving to the crowd.
Antonio joined the club in 2015 and has gone on to play 323 games and score 83 goals while he has provided 40 assists.
The forward hasn’t played for West Ham since the 3-1 defeat to Leicester on December 3. He recently returned from a 12-day warm weather training programme in Dubai.
The forward broke his leg when his £260,000 grey Ferrari collided with a tree in Essex
Antonio doesn’t remember speaking to emergency services while being taken to the hospital
Antonio escaped his crash with a badly broken leg and had his femur bone put back together after it was shattered in four places.
The West Ham record Premier League goal-scorer revisited the car’s remains at a scrapyard a few weeks ago, which put the horror incident into perspective.
‘It gave me a weird feeling in my stomach,’ Antonio told BBC One programme Morning Live.
‘It just made me realise how close I was to dying. I had seen the pictures, but it was 10 times worse in person. The car was an absolute mess. It was difficult for me.
‘All I know is that I hit a tree – I don’t know how I hit a tree – and that the police came and when they found me in the car, I was in between the two seats.
‘From the crash, I’ve been more of an emotional man. I was avoiding going back because I was slightly embarrassed by the crash and the accident.
‘Obviously I’ve almost died in the car crash.’
The Jamaica international is now determined to recover as quickly as he can.
The forward is the club’s all-time record Premier League goal scorer and joined in 2015
‘I’m a good three months ahead of where I should be,’ he said.
‘I’ve lifted 130kg on the leg and I’m trying to do other things and just focus on myself.
‘Now it’s just made me happy and positive in life because obviously I’ve got another chance at life.’
On his playing future, he added: ‘One hundred per cent I will play again.’
The accident was Antonio’s second in a fast car after he crashed his £210,000 Lamborghini Huracan into a bin shed in Balham, south London, on Christmas Day 2019 while dressed as a snowman.
