Derek Morgan remembers a car accident that changed his life with fellow musician Max Romeo

Ska legend Derek Morgan recalls how an accident in 1994 changed the course of his life, leaving him physically disabled.

the Harder than hard The singer detailed the horrific experience, where a rock slid down a hill, causing the car to be driven by Chasing the devil Singer Max Romeo, had an amazing accident while on their way to Montego Bay.

“Max Romeo and I were traveling to Montego Bay for a show that Hopton Lewis was doing in 1994. I was up front with him, and it was like a stone rolled down the hill, hit the bottom of the axle and made the car swing completely ‘in place,’” Morgan said in an exclusive interview with Dancehall Mag.

“When the car goes into a common area on four wheels, Max and I are like, ‘Uh-wah?’ because we never hit anything. And I said, ‘No, man, let me get out of this car before it hits me.’”

Morgan, who is visually impaired, said that in his eagerness and anxiety to escape the crashing car, he may have aggravated the injury he suffered during the accident. “Everyone says, ‘Oh, the blind man gets out of the car first,'” he joked.

His tall frame posed a challenge, forcing him to contort and squeeze through the window, an action that is believed to have contributed to later physical ailments. The singer revealed: “I shook myself so I could go through the window, and that made me move up in my spine because I’m tall, and I have to move up so I can go through the window, and that could lead to problems later.”

The immediate results of the accident seemed harmless, as X-rays did not reveal any broken bones. However, after six years, Morgan began experiencing disturbing symptoms, including tingling in his toes and swelling under his arm. A subsequent MRI revealed a more serious condition.

“When I turned 60, I had tingling sensations in my big toes, swelling under my armpits and feeling like I was carrying a wallet under my arm. I visited the doctor and had an MRI, which showed that the bone had moved and was touching the spinal cord. After a long time I felt it and the neurosurgeon said that the nature of the injury must be caused by an accident and this was the only accident I had.

Morgan underwent two major surgeries to address these issues, one targeting his neck and the other targeting his lower back area. According to him, these measures, unfortunately, left him physically disabled, necessitating constant assistance.

“Because of the injury, I always have people around me to help me,” he said.

Despite these challenges, Morgan continues to perform around the world, representing Jamaican music.

He will celebrate his 84th birthday on March 27, 2024.

Derek Morgan is one of the most popular ska artistes, having received the Order of Distinction in 2001, the Reggae Icon Award in 2022, and the Jamaica Reggae Industry Association (JARIA) Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019. He is known for his songs. like Burning fire, don’t call me father, conqueror, in my heart, harder than harder, And Seven letters.