It was Sunday, August 19 when the accident happened.
We went to the beach.
We were there for about an hour.
We were playing around in the water,
and he was just being silly and was doing flips in the waves.
And right after that, he made a flip and just started floating.
Before I knew it, I was in an emergency room with Brian.
A doctor came up to me and told me, Brian broke his neck,
and he's paralyzed from the neck down.
I can't imagine what that moment was when that happened,
because you're just having fun playing around, and then all
of a sudden--
Your life changes completely.
It was insane.
It was the worst day of our lives.
Yeah.
That's only half the story, though.
So I want to meet your husband.
So Brian, come on out here.
[CHEERING]
[MUSIC - COLDPLAY, "FIX YOU"]
(SINGING) Tears stream down your face when you lose something
you cannot replace.
You're amazing.
[CHEERING]
I'm not the only one who wanted to surprise you,
so I sent Jason Momoa.
He's one of the biggest and the sweetest
and the nicest guys to--
I mean, he's amazing.
He crashed your rehab, and let's take a look at that.
[CHEERING]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Step in there.
Big push.
Nice.
Push, Brian.
Step in there.
Big push.
That's it.
[MUSIC - BISHOP BRIGGS, "CHAMPION"]
(SINGING) A million times in my head I'm feeling low.
Got--
Hold on to the pole.
All right, we're here, Ellen.
I'm gonna go see Brian and Sophia,
and we're gonna surprise them.
Shh.
Here we go.
Keep going.
You got it, Brian.
Go, go, go, go, go!
Punch.
(SHOUTING) That's horrible technique!
[LAUGHTER]
What's up, buddy?
Oh, man.
Oh my god.
I'm sorry to scare you.
[LAUGHTER]
When Jason walked into the gym, he got so scared.
And he was so nice.
Such a nice guy.
I just wanted to hug him the whole time.
You guys ever been back to where it all happened?
We've kind of avoided the actual spot.
Like, we've gone to the beaches around.
It might be a nice time to close that because what you've
overcome is extremely special.
I'd love to go there with you, if you'd
like to go back to the beach.
I would love that, man.
Yeah.
Can I have another one?
Aw.
Thank you.
Yeah!
Thank you so much.
Hey, buddy.
Yeah, absolutely.
[MUSIC - BISHOP BRIGGS, "CHAMPION"]
(SINGING) I'm a champion!
To be here and walking with my wife and you--
this is insane.
It's pretty surreal being back here.
Well, it's an honor to be here with you.
The fact that you're able to both be standing here--
you walked down to the beach.
Yeah.
It's amazing in a year.
It's really hard being back here and remembering the hit.
Got anything you want to tell Sophia?
That you literally saved my life.
I thought that I would never see you again.
And it's hard to put it into words how much how much
you mean to me and how much I love you.
I love you too, baby.
Well, we all know that you got married,
but you haven't been able to have
your honeymoon because of this.
Well, this is what we like to call-- this is Ellen's Greatest
Night of Giveaways.
So we've got a little surprise for you.
Uh-oh.
Envelope, please.
Oh my god.
We're going to give you, all expenses
paid, a trip around the world.
No!
Wherever you want to go for your honeymoon.
That's insane!
The dream honeymoon.
Where would you like to go?
Where would you want to go?
Australia.
You're going!
Where would you like to go?
Spain.
We're going to Spain!
Shut up!
I want to go.
Where else do you want to go?
Thailand.
Thailand!
Pick one more.
London.
You're going!
We're going all the places.
[LAUGHTER]
Oh, oh!
Wait, wait, wait!
But wait, there's more.
Oh god, more.
(SHOUTING) Hey, Jimmy!
Oh my god.
(SHOUTING) Hey, Jimmy!
There he is.
All right.
[LAUGHTER]
Oh my god!
Thank you, sir.
So-- heyeah!
Oh my god.
We know that it's been very hard to save money
with your medical bills.
And so we want you to forget about that.
We'll take care of it.
What you think about that?
Here's $100,000 for you guys' medical bills
to take care of it.
[CRYING]
Oh, ho, ho, ho--
baby!
Thank you!
[MUSIC - PINK, "WALK ME HOME"]
[CRYING]
[MUSIC - PINK, "WALK ME HOME"]
(SINGING) Walk me home in the dead of night.
Yeah.
Awesome.
That's going to help us so much.
It is going to help you a lot.
It's been the worst year of our lives.
It's been really hard.
Thank you so much for--
Yeah, you're welcome, man.
--being here for this.
Thank you so much.
This is Ellen's Greatest Night of Giveaways!
[SCREAMING]
[MUSIC - PINK, "WALK ME HOME"]
(SINGING) --in the dead of night!
So much wrong going on outside.
[CHEERING]