Tracy Morgan’s night at Madison Square Garden took an unexpected turn on Monday (March 17). The beloved comedian and die-hard New York Knicks fan was wheeled out of the arena after reportedly vomiting courtside.
The incident, which momentarily halted the game between the Knicks and the Miami Heat, left fans in shock as Morgan was seen being escorted out while pressing a towel to his face in an apparent attempt to stop a nosebleed.
During the third quarter, play was paused for nearly 10 minutes as arena staff worked to clean an unidentified substance from the hardwood. It soon became clear that the delay was due to Morgan, who had gotten sick mid-game. A fan-captured video circulating online shows the comedian being assisted out of the venue in a wheelchair, sparking concern among spectators.
“We hope Tracy feels better soon and look forward to seeing him back courtside,” a Madison Square Garden representative told PEOPLE following the incident.
While Morgan’s team has yet to comment on the cause of the health scare, the comedian has faced serious medical challenges in the past. In 2010, he underwent a life-saving kidney transplant, and in June 2014, he survived a devastating accident when his limo was struck by a tractor-trailer on the New Jersey Turnpike.
While visiting the Today Show in 2015, Morgan spoke about surviving the near fatal accident and the injuries he sustained. “There are times when I have the headaches and the nosebleeds,” he explained. “But I have my good days and my bad days.” He also added that although his injuries would heal, the loss of his friend James Mcnair would never be something he could heal from. McNair was in the car with Morgan when the tractors struck his vehicle.
The 56-year-old’s miraculous recovery and return to the spotlight was met with overwhelming support. In 2018, Saturday Night Live creator, Lorne Michaels, spoke as Morgan received his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
“The accident was when everybody realized how much they care about him,” Michaels said at the time. “It was somebody we didn’t want to lose. When he came back [to host Saturday Night Live] after, if he hadn’t stopped it, the audience would have just kept on applauding when he walked out. They were just happy he was back.”
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