Actor Injured In Center City Hit-Run Speaks Out
By Diana Rocco
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A local actor's life changed after he became the victim of a hit-and-run in Center City.
"I'm not going to sit around and say my life is over."
Bruised and still shaken, 68-year-old Michael Toner is upbeat, but talking about the hit-and-run accident that took his left leg and nearly claimed his life early Tuesday morning from his hospital room.
"I remember walking up 11th Street to go to the train station and that's it. After that I just woke up and it was like two days later and I'm in a hospital looking at people and I had no idea what had happened. I had no idea what happened to my leg," said Toner.
Toner, an actor currently with the Amaryllis Theatre Company scheduled to perform at the Walnut Street Theatre next year, had left rehearsal and stopped to see friends. He was on his way home in the rain when he was hit crossing the street at 11th and Market.
"I feel traumatized. I can kid around and joke and stuff but it's haunting me a little," said Toner.
Toner has no memory of the crash and police have no leads. For the last two days he was in a medically induced coma.
"Am I angry or hateful to them? I don't think so, no. I mean it was wrong what they did," said Toner.
The Vietnam veteran, stage actor and playwright was currently working with a company comprised of people with disabilities.
"When I woke up I thought of that. Isn't this so ironic that here I am a disabled person now," said Toner.
Police were not able to find any witnesses or recover any evidence from the scene.
Toner still has a very long road to recovery ahead. He says he hopes to act again one day, but if he can't, he'll write.