American Pickers’ Mike Wolfe Says Near-Fatal Car Crash Changed Him ‘Forever’ — Details Every Injury

The Crash That Changed Mike Wolfe Forever

Mike Wolfe has picked through barns, warehouses, and forgotten attics for decades — but nothing could have prepared him for the September crash that nearly took his life. The American Pickers star and his girlfriend Leticia Cline were riding in a 1958 Porsche on Highway 7 in Columbia, Tennessee, when they were involved in a serious front-on collision.

Now, reflecting on the ordeal, Wolfe says it changed him in ways he’s still processing. “It’s one of those things that changes you forever,” he told reporters. “You play the accident over and over again in your mind. But eventually, when that calms, there’s this elevated sense of perspective on what’s important and what’s not.”

The Full Extent of Their Injuries

The 1958 Porsche didn’t have airbags — but luckily, Wolfe had seatbelts installed beforehand, something he does with all of his vintage vehicles. That decision may have saved both their lives.

Wolfe himself sustained a fractured nose, fractured orbital bone, a sprained wrist, and a torn meniscus in his knee. Cline’s injuries were far more severe: she broke her jaw in three places, fractured her ribs and sternum, suffered a partially collapsed lung, and experienced significant swelling along her spine. She was airlifted from the scene and required what her surgical team called one of the most complex jaw surgeries they had ever performed.

“We are so lucky to be alive,” Wolfe said. “But it’s something that’s ongoing. It was life-changing as far as how things can change in a moment and life is just so precious and short. We hear that, we talk about that, but to experience it — it was moving.”

A Court Case and Ongoing Recovery

The aftermath of the crash has extended well beyond the hospital. The other driver has been charged with vehicular assault, and Wolfe and Cline have found themselves testifying in court as part of the proceedings.

“I’ve learned that time is so precious and that none of us have a crystal ball,” Wolfe said. “We’ve also been thrown into a system where we’ve been testifying in front of a court. It’s just another level of life that we’ve walked through together.”

Cline, who Wolfe calls a “badass,” didn’t drive again for a long time following the accident but has since gotten back behind the wheel.

What’s Next: A New Show and a New Chapter

In the wake of the crash, Wolfe has been pouring his energy into his new History Channel series History’s Greatest Picks. “I just want us to all have a moment to breathe, sit down with our families, get excited — not just about our history, but history from other parts of the world,” he said.

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