'Cake Boss' Buddy Valastro Recounts Gruesome Hand Accident, Recovery

Buddy Valastro is on the "road to recovery" after suffering a gruesome injury during an accident last week in his home bowling alley that led to his hand being impaled a number of times by a metal rod. The Cake Boss star appeared via video conference on Monday's TODAY show, recounting the "freak accident" alongside son Buddy Jr., who rushed to his father's rescue.

"It's just a really freak accident. You know, it was crazy just the way it went down. But I really am so proud of my sons and brother-in-laws (sic) who were here and really helped jump into action to set me free and help put me on the road to recovery," he explained. Valastro's 16-year-old son said of jumping into action, "I mean, he's my dad… I knew I had to do something. So, he told me to grab the saw, the tools. So I ran up and got them and got him out."

.@CakeBossBuddy, star of “Cake Boss,” is recovering after two surgeries to treat a severe injury he suffered after his hand was caught in a pin-setting machine in his home bowling alley. He joins us along with his son, Buddy Jr., to give an update on his recovery. pic.twitter.com/Istcqfy2m8

— TODAY (@TODAYshow) September 28, 2020

The Food Network star underwent two surgeries, one at Morristown Memorial in New Jersey, and the second by Dr. Michelle Carlson, an orthopedic surgeon at Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan, saying of the first responders and doctors who came to his aid, "When push really comes to shove, you see what a miracle worker they are."

Recovering won't be easy for the pastry chef, who is used to crafting intricate designs with his dominant hand. "It's going to definitely be an uphill battle. And the prayers and the support from all the fans from all over the world have made me feel so special, and makes me want to fight to get better for them. You know, it makes me want to be the man that I was."

Last week, Valastro's team told PEOPLE that the star was injured when he tried to reset "malfunction" in the bowling pinsetter, which led to "his right hand became lodged and compressed inside the unit." Unable to remove his hand, Valastro could see "a 1-1/2-inch metal rod slowly and repeatedly impale his hand three times between his ring finger and middle finger," they continued, revealing that after more than five minutes, Valastro's sons were able to use a reciprocating saw "to cut through the metal rod and relieve his father from the machine." Having been released from the hospital, Valastro has a "long road ahead" when it comes to regaining full use of his hand, his rep added: "It will be an uphill battle as it's Buddy's dominant right hand and he will need prolonged recovery and therapy."