Ashley Judd Opens Up About Her Catastrophic Accident In African Jungle

Ashley Judd has played many roles in her career, but none were more terrifying than what happened in real life in 2021. The 52-year-old actress fell victim to a horrific freak accident while visiting the Democratic Republic of Congo—but that was only the beginning of the ordeal. In what became a 55-hour fight for survival, Judd reveals how one visit to the nation's untamed jungle was almost her last. And it wasn’t just her life that she came close to losing...

Regular Visitor To Congo

Actor and activist Ashley Judd habitually visits the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) with her partner to study the endangered bonobo ape population. Little did she know, on her most recent trip, she'd have a first-hand experience that would teach her more than she planned for.

Experienced Traveler

On her twice-annual research trips to the DRC, Judd visits a local camp for several weeks to a month at a time. The lessons she learned strengthen the fire of her activism. However, in all the time she's spent learning about the Congolese, the jungle, and its animals, she always returned to the US safely. This time in early 2021 was different.

Hard To See

At 4:30 in the morning, Judd walked with two expert trackers into the rainforest searching for the bonobo. As they headed through the dark of the jungle with only the dim light of Ashley's headlamp, everything took a turn. While the men noticed an object blocking their path, Ashley hadn't seen the trouble until it was too late.

Serious Fall

Ashley tripped over a tree on the path and slammed onto the rainforest floor. Immediately, everyone knew her right leg was severely broken. It was an urgent situation, Judd needed medical attention STAT. But as she wept in pain, she knew emergency healthcare wasn't available.