Jenifer Lewis Reveals She Suffered Near-Fatal Fall in Africa

Jenifer Lewis revealed that during a trip to Tanzania’s Serengeti, she suffered a catastrophic fall that left her unable to move and fearing for her life. During a preview of an interview with Robin Roberts that aired on Good Morning America, Lewis revealed how she intended to retire and travel after Black-ish ended and her book was published. 

As it turned out, an exciting trip went horribly wrong in November of that year when she fell off the balcony of the hotel where she was staying. The first night the actor spent at her Serengeti resort, she wanted a better look at the infinity pool on the balcony. 

“It is pitch black,” she told Roberts. “I was escorted to the lodge, my room,but I wasn’t given a tour. I should have been given a tour. I laid out my safari clothes,And I saw the infinity pool out on my deck.  

“I went out, I was just taking in the fact that I was back in the Serengeti once again, and I’m walking. … All of a sudden, I had fallen 10 feet into a dry ravine, full of boulders and stones and sharp rocks.” Lewis said, “There was a space that was not sectioned off. And there was no sign that said ‘Caution: 10 feet drop.’”

Regarding her pain, she said, “Of course, I was in shock. My right hip took the impact. My shoulder went up against the stone. A lightning bolt went through my mind’s eye… In pitch black, I didn’t know I was falling. Nothing would move.”

At that point, she called out for Lori, a friend she had brought along for the trip. “It was hard to even take a big breath to scream,” she said. Lewis mentioned that while Lori was on her way to get help, she heard a lion roar. “My last thought, because I am Jenifer Lewis, was, ‘What a headline,’” she laughed. “The king ate the queen: Pieces of Jenifer Lewis’ body being flown back to the states.’”

For those wondering why Lewis didn’t share this information before, Roberts said she hadn’t wanted to disclose the details until “I could show you all that I got back up.” She also confirmed that Niecy Nash had tipped her off about Lewis, who intended to post about her accident and recovery on social media toward the end of last year. The full interview with Lewis will air on ABC News Live at 5:30 p.m. PT/8:30 p.m. ET on March 12, and it will be available on Hulu later in the evening.