‘The Challenge’: What Happened to Nelson Thomas? His Accident & Injuries, Explained

Nelson Thomas is gearing up to make a huge comeback in Season 42 of The Challenge. It’s been four years since his last appearance on The Challenge: Ride or Dies in 2022.

This lengthy hiatus came after Thomas suffered injuries after a 2023 accident left him uncertain if he’d ever be able to walk, much less compete on The Challenge, again. Below, we broke down everything to know about what happened to the MTV star and more.

What happened to Nelson Thomas?

On March 5, 2023, Thomas was involved in a car accident in Texas. His car became engulfed in flames, and he was pulled out by Minnesota Vikings wide receiver K.J. Osborn.

“All I saw was flames and fire around me,” he later told People. “It’s such a vivid memory in my head, me getting pulled out of that burning car. I go to sleep and sometimes I’ll wake up screaming, thinking I’m in that car.”

What injuries did Nelson Thomas sustain?

Thomas’ worst injury was to his right leg and foot. He spent months in and out of the hospital and had six surgeries that left him with three plates and 22 screws in his foot. That, combined with stem cell therapy, electrical stimulation, and traditional physical therapy, had Thomas starting to walk again after just three months.

However, seven months after the accident, Thomas was still in pain, and his doctor informed him the bone was not healing. By February 2024, he came to the decision to have his right foot and leg amputated below the knee.

 

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“I’ve done everything I can to try to save my foot,” Thomas said. “There’s a lot of people out there, even friends, they’re calling me: ‘Nelson, you have a chance to keep your foot and look normal and walk around.’ But then you have to ask yourself, ‘What kind of quality of life do I want to live?'”

Thomas’ other option would be a Tibio-talo-calcaneal (TTC) fusion, but said that would leave him with no mobility in his ankle. “I could be in and out the hospital for the next year, and I could be in pain for the rest of my life,” he explained.

After having the surgery on the one-year anniversary of his accident, Thomas spent two years rehabilitating before he was ready to return to The Challenge with a prosthetic leg.

Why was Nelson Thomas arrested?

Thomas was arrested for DWI on the night of the car accident. A blood sample was taken before he was released from custody to treat his injuries. In June 2023, a warrant for Thomas’ arrest was put out based on the blood sample, per In Touch.

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In September 2023, Thomas was officially charged with DWI. His BAC on the night of the accident was .178, more than double the legal limit in Texas of .08. The charges against Thomas were dropped in October 2024 after he completed a DWI PTD (pre-trial diversion), according to In Touch.

The Challenge, Season 42 Premiere, Wednesday, August 5, Paramount+