Jeremy Renner shares how his 10-year-old daughter handled his near-fatal snowplow accident

The emotional Jeremy Renner interview with Diane Sawyer aired on Thursday, and it’s nothing short of a miracle that the actor survived a near-deadly snowplow accident on New Year’s Day. Renner also opened up about how his daughter handled everything, and what she said to him when he was in the hospital.

Renner told Sawyer he was at fault in the accident that left him close to death—and grew emotional as he talked about apologizing to his family for what he put them through. According to Renner, he was driving the snowplow after using it to pull one of the family’s trucks out of the snow.

As the plow started to skid on ice, Renner said he became worried about the safety of his nephew, Alex, who had just unhooked the chains connecting it to the truck. Renner stuck one foot out to look back at Alex and did not set the parking brake. He immediately lost his footing and fell out of his seat.

“You shouldn’t be outside the vehicle when you’re operating it, you know what I mean? It’s like driving a car with one foot out of the car,” Renner said. “But it is what it was. And it’s my mistake, and I paid for it.”

Renner’s mom, Valerie, and several of his family members made an appearance during the interview—each of them describing their fear and grief over his critical injuries. When Sawyer asked about how his daughter handled the news, the actor choked back tears.

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“She didn’t have to say anything,” she said. “She said she’s scared. She said she loved me.”

Last month, Renner celebrated Ava’s 10th birthday with a heartfelt message on his Instagram Story, sharing that her “hugs and love” have helped “heal me so incredibly fast” as he continues to recover from the accident.

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“Happy 10th Birthday to you!!!! So very proud of you in every way. Your hugs and your love, have healed me so incredibly fast,” he began his message alongside a picture of the pair where Ava’s face was concealed by a heart sticker.

“I stand up for you, and I am stronger than before because of you,” Renner continued. “I am your Father, I am your protector, and I am only yours. I love you, Daddy.”