What To Know
- Nelson Thomas is speaking out about returning to The Challenge.
- The show alum had been away for years following a devastating car crash injury that left him with a below-the-knee amputation of his leg.
Two years after Nelson Thomas received a below-the-knee amputation on his right leg following a devastating car crash injury, The Challenge alum is back for Season 42.
Thomas, who was one of the so-called “Young Bucks” who’d shaken up The Challenge upon arrival over a decade ago, was joined by his long-time friend Cory Wharton in the cast, and his return was an emotional one indeed.
“Just to be back and represent the limb loss community, amputees, and like I tell everyone time and time again, this is bigger than me, man. This represents perseverance, resilience, and just faith in general,” Thomas told TV Insider of his experience being back in a Challenge house once again. “Seeing every face, seeing all these rookies, I felt like a stranger in my own house. I’m like, ‘How long have I been gone for?’ … It was hard. It wasn’t easy for me. It wasn’t easy.”
For Thomas, the road to recovery was a grueling one, and it reshaped his character on- and off-screen.
“There was times that I talked to Cory. I talked to Nurys [Mateo]. I felt like I didn’t belong there anymore. I questioned myself if I can compete with one leg, and, ‘Can I honestly be the Nelson I was?’” Thomas explained. “But I realized I wasn’t that Nelson. I’ve grown so much from that, and to see that growth, and to bring everyone along with me, and to show people that regardless of what you’re going through, any kind of adversity, you can get through it. There is light at the end of the tunnel. So, it was a blessing to do that, man.”
Jonne Roriz / Paramount+
Before his return to The Challenge, Thomas went through a grueling series of surgeries to repair and ultimately remove his leg after injuries sustained in a serious car accident in Austin, Texas, in March 2023. He was pulled from his burning vehicle by Minnesota Vikings wide receiver K.J. Osborn and three others on the scene. Later, it was revealed that Thomas was driving under the influence, and he was charged with DWI.
Thomas went on to publicly take accountability for his actions and share his recovery efforts with fans on social media.
The Challenge, Season 42 Premiere, August 5, Paramount+