Celebrity Health

Kevin Hart is in a grueling stage of recovery right now after doctors repaired THREE fractures to his spine ... suffered in his horrific Labor Day weekend car accident.

Sources with direct knowledge tell us Kevin's Sunday night surgery involved fusing the fractures ... 2 of them in the thoracic section of his spine, and 1 in the lumbar. Although the procedure was a success, Kevin is still going through hell. We're told he has to be heavily medicated because the pain is just that intense.

That being said, it could have been much worse. Lumbar fractures can often result in at least difficulties walking, and at worst ... partial paralysis of the arms or legs. Luckily for Kevin, we're told doctors expect him to make a full recovery, but it's gonna be a long road back.

As we reported, he'll have several weeks -- if not months -- ahead of physical rehabilitation. Everyone knows Kevin is one of the hardest working guys in Hollywood, and our sources say the rehab process will almost certainly impact his jam packed work schedule.

Kev has at least 5 upcoming projects, and those are just the ones that have been announced.

As for where Kevin and his friends Jared Black and Rebecca Broxterman were on Saturday night before they crashed in the Malibu Hills -- we're told there was no wild night out on the town at a bar or restaurant.

Our sources say the group had spent the evening at Kevin and Eniko's Calabasas home. Kevin was clearly soaking up a rare day off Saturday when he posted a pic of himself jumping into his pool with the caption, "Being home makes me happy ... enjoy your weekend people."

Later that day he also posted a vid of himself behind the wheel of the 1970 Plymouth Barracuda, peeling out on what looked like a local street.

TMZ broke the story ... the eyewitness who called 911 from the accident scene says he saw a security guard pull Kevin from the driver's side window of the wrecked muscle car. CHP says first responders found Jared pinned in the driver's seat when they arrived.

Kevin Hart's car careened off the road, a witness surveyed the damage and called 911 to report there were people stuck, and first responders would need to cut them out of the vehicle.

The male caller said there were 2 people stuck, but "There was 3 [people] I guess" -- referring to the fact Kevin's security had already taken him from the crash scene.

The caller said everyone was conscious, but "scared because they're stuck in there." He added, "The roof is crushed, the car is pretty totaled."

It sounds like there was at least one other civilian on the scene trying to help before cops and the fire department arrived. Something new we learned from this call is that the driver, Jared Black, was able to free himself from the car eventually.

The caller said Jared "looked hurt," but the woman -- Jared's fiancee, Rebecca Broxterman -- was still stuck inside the destroyed 1970 Plymouth Barracuda. You can hear him yelling to both Jared and Rebecca to "stay calm, help's coming!"

TMZ broke the story ... Kevin, Jared and Rebecca violently veered off the infamous Mulholland Highway around 12:45 AM Sunday morning. Both Kevin and Jared suffered what police called "major back injuries" ... while Rebecca was able to walk away with some minor pains.

We know Kevin underwent successful back surgery on Sunday night, but will need weeks of physical rehab before he's fully recovered. It's still unclear what Jared's condition is after being airlifted to UCLA Medical Center.

Police are investigating the crash and say excessive speed might have been a factor. As we reported, a witness reported hearing tires peeling out moments before hearing the car smash through a fence as it flew off the road.

Kevin Hart is on the mend, but he won't be out of the woods for a long time, the comedian will require extensive physical therapy ... TMZ has learned.

Sources close to Kevin tell us he's expected to be released from the hospital by the end of the week. However, he'll have a heavy physical therapy workload in the coming weeks, along with a steady schedule of follow-up doctors appointments.

While we've been told Kevin's Sunday night back surgery was a success -- there's still work to be done to ensure he comes back 100 percent.

TMZ broke the story ... cops say Kevin was riding shotgun in his 1970 Plymouth Barracuda early Sunday morning when it careened off Mulholland Highway, leaving the driver and a backseat passenger pinned. Kevin left the scene to get medical help and was taken to a nearby hospital.

Crash investigators told us alcohol was not a factor, but we are told cops are looking into excessive speed as a possible cause of the wreck. A witness within earshot of the crash said they heard tires screeching -- like the vehicle was peeling out -- before hearing a loud boom.

Bam Margera's sit-down with Dr. Phil proved to be even more explosive than previously believed ... and it was Bam's mom who dished some tough love.

TMZ's obtained a clip of the episode Dr. Phil shot during his one-on-one session with the "Jackass" star ... and it's pretty evident why Bam needed professional help. Bam lashed out at his wife, Nikki, and also his mom ... who participated remotely.

Watch, Bam dropped the words no mother wants to hear after she told him he's addicted to drama.

As we reported ... Bam went public with his struggles a month ago, practically begging Dr. Phil for help and the doc obliged. After this emotional 3-hour session, Dr. Phil -- who recorded without a studio audience -- convinced Bam to head to rehab.

Since then, Bam's had some hiccups on his road to recovery -- he left rehab and ended up at a bar, before giving it another shot ... at a different treatment center. His most recent attempt has gone smoother ... aside from a trip to the hospital to treat swelling in his body.

We got him out late last week -- during a lunch outing with his sponsor -- and he looked great, telling us his treatment's going well, and some special friends still have his back.

MLB pitcher Carlos Carrasco is giving back in a HUGE way following his return from cancer ... pledging $200 for each strikeout he earns in the month of September to childhood cancer research.

Cookie -- who was diagnosed with Leukemia in the Spring -- returned to the Cleveland Indians on Sunday after stepping away from the team for a few months to focus on treatment.

32-year-old Carrasco is launching the "Punchout Cancer with Cookie" campaign in his return to the mound ... announcing he'll make a donation to St. Jude's every time he K's a batter this month.

"I have cancer, but cancer doesn't have me," Carrasco said in the announcement video ... adding the disease has not affected his spirits through his journey back to the team.

"I want to remind families that there is always hope."

But, the coolest part?? Carrasco's teammate, Shane Bieber, is joining in on the campaign, pledging $100 a strikeout.

"With @cookie_carrasco returning back to the mound, we are reminded of how far positivity, faith, and resiliency can take us," Bieber said.

"To think he’s back pitching after being diagnosed with Leukemia just a couple months ago is nothing short of inspiring."

On top of that, Carlos Santana is donating for every home run ... and Francisco Lindor is pitching in for every team win!!

Kevin Hart is on the mend this morning after going under the knife Sunday ... less than 24 hours after he injured his back in that horrific car accident.

A source connected to Kevin tells us doctors completed successful back surgery on Kevin Sunday evening. Another source told us the comedian is expected to remain in the hospital for at least a couple of days while he recovers.

TMZ broke the story ... Kevin was miraculously able to walk away from the accident early Sunday morning on L.A.'s treacherous Mulholland Highway -- with assistance from a bodyguard -- but was rushed to a hospital with what cops called a "major back injury."

Jared Black, the man who was driving Kevin's vintage Plymouth Barracuda at the time of the accident, was pinned in the crushed vehicle and also seriously injured. He was airlifted to UCLA Medical Center and we're told he's surrounded by family members as he also recovers.

Cops say Jared's fiance, celebrity trainer Rebecca Broxterman, was pinned in the backseat ... but firefighters pulled her from the wreckage without major injuries.

Ric Flair says his wife, Wendy Barlow, is "100 percent" the reason The Nature Boy is alive today ... telling TMZ Sports, "She's responsible for all of it."

Ric's had some close calls when it comes to his health the last few years ... he was on death's doorstep in 2017 and just a few months ago he needed a heart procedure to keep his ticker going.

Flair says the docs obviously did a great job piecing him together ... but tells us Wendy truly deserves all the credit for getting him back to being a jet flyin' son of a gun!!

"Doctors 20, her 80," Flair says of Wendy ... "No, 90-10. She's responsible for all of it."

As for how he's feeling now, after the heart procedure in May, Naitch tells us he's doing great ... saying, "Best I've been in 10 years!"

By the way, we also talked to Ric about Taylor Swift's new song, "The Man," and ya gotta hear why Flair has some issues with it.

Hint: As Wendy says, "Ya gotta beat the man to be the man!"

Carlos Carrasco kicked cancer's ass ... and Chicago Cubs ace Jon Lester is stoked to see it, telling TMZ Sports, "I'm just glad he's back!"

The Cleveland Indians star was diagnosed with Leukemia in the Spring ... and despite taking a few months off to fight the disease -- he's set to rejoin the team this weekend.

When we got Lester -- who also fought and beat a rare form of cancer back in 2006 -- out in NYC ... he told us he's happy the guy is returning to the mound.

Of course, Carrasco won't resume starting duties right away ... the Indians are expected to put him in the bullpen to pitch only an inning or two at a time for now.

But, seems Carlos is more than ready to take on that task ... in 3 minor league rehab starts this month, he pitched 3.2 innings, struck out 6 batters and only gave up 2 hits and 1 run.

By the way, he also threw 97 MPH!!!

It was like 1985 all over again when Dolph Lundgren and Carl Weathers came face-to-face in Venice Beach this week ... and we could only think one thing -- RUN, APOLLO!!!!!!

Remember, a juiced up Ivan Drago beat Apollo Creed to death during that exhibition bout in "Rocky IV" ... why didn't you throw in the damn towel, Rock!?!

But, here we are 34 years later ... Apollo died after secretly knocking up a woman who had a kid named Adonis ... and the rest is history!

There were rumors Carl Weathers was upset at Sylvester Stallone when the Rocky franchise came back with Creed ... and Apollo Creed wasn't a part of it -- but all of that seems to be overblown.

Of course, Lundren's Drago character DID come back to train his own gigantic Russian son in "Creed II" ... a movie that made more than $200 mil at the box office.

Carl is now 71, Dolph is 61 and they both still lift ... they ran into each other at the legendary Gold's gym in Venice!

Aaron Carter's tackling 2 hot button issues ... mental health, specifically his own, and gun control laws -- and insisting it's not only safe for him to own assault weapons but an absolute necessity.

The singer and his mom were at LAX when we talked to him about his recent revelation that he got his license to own a gun. Aaron says he aced his background check, but the fact is police have made several wellness checks to his homes in recent years -- mostly because loved ones were concerned about his mental health

That's all behind him, apparently, because Aaron told us his mental stability is off the charts right now. In fact, he got a little defensive, saying on a scale of 1 to 10 ... his mental stability is "infinite" -- despite all he's been through over the years. His mom agreed.

As for why Aaron feels the need to own assault rifles ... his mother gives an interesting reason, and it's supported by a story in the family's history, at least according to Aaron.

As we've reported, Aaron recently went through a nasty breakup with his girlfriend in which she allegedly got violent -- resulting in a restraining order -- and that was just days after cops performed a wellness check.

Of course, Carter also had his background check flagged when he tried to make a gun purchase 2 years ago around the same time he entered rehab.

Bam Margera landed in the hospital shortly after starting his third stint in rehab ... but he's assured fans he'll be just fine.

The "Jackass" star was hospitalized Wednesday to treat what he says is edema ... swelling in the body caused by blood vessels leaking fluid into the tissue. Bam wrote in a since-deleted Instagram post that he was in the hospital for only a few hours to treat "either reaction to new medicine or detoxing from i guess a bit of alchohol [sic]." Bam's already back in rehab.

TMZ broke the story ... sources close to Bam told us he put himself back on the road to recovery last week when he voluntarily entered a new rehab facility. He had been at an L.A. bar the night before checking into rehab. He had recently bailed on a treatment facility ... the second time he's done so this month.

Kevin O'Leary's boat was involved in a crash in Ontario, Canada that left one man dead, and a woman critically injured ... TMZ has learned.

The accident happened on Lake Joseph late Saturday, around 11:30 PM when a smaller boat -- owned by O'Leary -- rammed into a larger boat ... going directly over its bow and striking a male passenger in the head, killing him instantly.

A source connected to the owner of the larger boat tells TMZ ... they told police after impact there was enough light to ID the people on O'Leary's boat -- and the owner said it was O'Leary and his wife. We cannot confirm it was Kevin and his wife.

However, we've spoken to Kevin about the accident and he said he was following police protocol and would not comment. As for what the protocol is ... we're told cops will not release any names involved in the accident unless criminal charges are filed.

We're told O'Leary's boat immediately left the scene of the accident -- but it was towed to the marina on Monday by a salvage boat with police onboard ... who've seized it for forensic testing.

Multiple sources tell us a critical element of this investigation is whether the larger boat had its lights on ... so people on O'Leary's boat could see it at the time of impact.

Kevin appears to have at least 2 boats on the lake. While it's unclear which was in the wreck, a witness described it as a wakeboarding boat. Kevin's posted a pic of his "BatBoat" and bragged about using it for "surfing" on the lake.

Our source says there were a total of 8 people on the larger craft. The fatality is reportedly a 64-year-old man from Florida ... while the injured woman is a 48-year-old Canadian citizen. She is reportedly on a ventilator with significant brain damage.

Cops haven't said if alcohol was involved.

Kevin and his wife have a lake house in the area, and they've posted several photos from the home, and on the lake.

He wrote of the property on Instagram, "I call this the “Wedge” it’s a natural phenomenon of nature located where our lake house home is situated! Just beautiful!"

DeMarcus Cousins didn't let a torn ACL hold him back on the biggest day of his life ... so says Matt Barnes, who tells TMZ Sports the NBA superstar was dancing and in great spirits at his wedding over the weekend!!!

The 29-year-old Lakers center married his longtime girlfriend, Morgan Lang, in Atlanta on Saturday -- just 2 weeks after seriously injuring his left knee in a Vegas training sesh.

The event looked like NBA All-Star Weekend with huge stars like Barnes, Anthony Davis, Draymond Green, Andre Iguodala and more in attendance.

As for the dancing, Boogie didn't do anything stupid -- he was cautious -- and left the wild dance moves to his new wife!!!

You can see in the footage ... Cousins was moving nice and slow during his first dance with his wife. There will be plenty of time for Boogie to boogie after he gets healthy.

We talked to Barnes about DC's morale during his big day ... and while Matt says he's sure the guy is frustrated about the recent bad luck, Cousins didn't show it on Saturday.

"He's been through a lot of late, so I'm happy to see him smile, be able to take his mind off his injury and enjoy his day," Barnes told us at LAX.

BONUS -- Matt Barnes had a BIG problem on the day after the wedding ... he had a bunch of weed but didn't want to take it to the airport.

What ensued is one of the funniest scavenger hunts we've ever seen -- and Barnes posted a road map to his stash on social media!!!

Good luck!!!

Seventies and 80s hitmaker turned reality TV star Eddie Money is in the battle of his life ... TMZ's learned the rocker's been diagnosed with stage 4 esophageal cancer.

The "Take Me Home Tonight" singer makes the stunning revelation during season 2 of his reality show, "Real Money" ... according to sources connected to the show.

We're told Eddie got the dire news late last year, during a regularly scheduled checkup with his doctor.

The cancer started in Eddie's esophagus but, sadly, it spread to other parts of his body. You can see in this clip, he's determined to keep his loved ones in the loop as he deals with the diagnosis.

We're told Eddie didn't take a break from shooting his family's show after getting the news -- and he's continued touring almost nonstop while getting treatment.

You'll recall he was forced to take a break from the road for other health issues -- a minor heart valve procedure in May, and he caught pneumonia in July. We're told neither issue was related to the cancer.

Our sources say Eddie won't shy away from discussing his treatments while cameras are rolling for "Real Money."

DeMarcus Cousins is gonna wanna watch this ...

Ex-NBA superstar Steve Nash STRONGLY believes Boogie can recover from his ACL injury and dominate in the NBA again ... and he's got the pump-up speech to help him bounce back!!!

"He shouldn't retire," Nash told us after leaving a pickup soccer game in L.A. ... "He's still a young guy."

Nash acknowledges DC's had a "horrible run" when it comes to injuries, but says the 29-year-old Lakers star has a "fighting spirit"

"He's a competitor. He's gone through a lot already. He can do it."

Cousins suffered his latest injury during a training session in Las Vegas earlier this month ... and footage obtained by TMZ Sports shows it was non-contact situation.

DC has dealt with injuries before ... he had a quad injury during the playoffs and dealt with an Achilles injury before that.

Nash says Cousins has proved he has what it takes to battle back -- and he hopes the guy will do it again.

Boris Kodjoe brought his new fitness app to life at the TMZ office to show how simple it can be to improve your health, but we proved to be tough customers.

The "Station 19" star dropped in Friday with his brother, Patrick, on "TMZ Live" to promote KOFIT, the health and wellness app he launched this summer with his wife, Nicole Ari Parker, along with his bro and his wife.

Boris lays it all out -- this app's perfect for both busy folks on the go or people who feel intimidated going to the gym ... and it only takes 5 minutes a day to get in good shape.

Still, the prospect of squeezing in some basic exercises at the office proved too much for TMZ Sports producer, Michael Babcock ... but Boris is a great salesman.

The Kodjoe bros corralled a couple other TMZ staffers for squats and desk push-ups to show that the workout's so easy ... even a Babcock can do it.