Orlando Bloom recalls 1988 accident that nearly took his life

Hollywood star Orlando Bloom is sharing a near-death experience of his life from 1988.

Th Lord of the Rings actor, 44, turned to his social media with a post that looked back at an accident he had in 1988 which almost left him dead.

The image posted by the Pirates of the Caribbean actor showed him wearing a back brace while on a bicycle. It was accompanied by a second picture of Bloom taken recently where he wore a cycling jersey, bike shorts and a helmet.

"That's me in my back brace circa 1998 about 3months after I fell 3floors and crushed my spine, narrowly escaping death and paralysis…" wrote Bloom, adding; "grateful everyday for my limbs that allow me to push my limits and live life on my edge (safer now).”

Bloom had detailed the incident that “crushed” his spine, earlier in an interview with GQ in 2005.

"Until then, I didn't have a healthy appreciation for life and death — that we're not invincible. And for four days, I faced the idea of living in a wheelchair for the rest of my life. I went to some dark places in my mind. I realized, I'm either going to walk again or I'm not,” he had said.

"The doctor said he wasn't sure how severe the spinalcord damage was. I remember him telling me that, and staring at the ceiling, thinking, I never stared at ceilings before! And I wonder if I'm going to be looking at ceilings for the rest of my life,” he added.