Jason Caperna is opening up about the painful knee injury that shocked viewers during the latest episode of “The Valley.”
The scary moment happened during season 3, episode 8, when the Bravo star joined several of his castmates for a basketball game at a local park. What began as a casual outing quickly turned serious after the Bravo star collapsed on the court clutching his knee.
Jason initially tried to continue playing after feeling discomfort during one play. But moments later, while attempting a layup, he suddenly stopped mid-shot and fell to the ground in pain.
“My knee’s (expletive),” Jason said during the episode. “It popped out. Oh my God. … Can we get someone here fast? I retired from basketball for a frickin’ reason.”
As the cast gathered around him, a producer stepped in and briefly broke the fourth wall to assess the situation.
“Do you want us to call the ambulance right now? Or do you feel OK to be put in a car?” the producer asked.
“Probably ambulance, maybe,” Jason responded.
Jason Caperna Revealed His Kneecap Was ‘in the Wrong Place’
After paramedics arrived and transported Jason to the hospital, fans later learned the injury was much more serious than a simple strain.
During “The Valley After Show,” Jason shared graphic details about the moment his knee gave out.
“There was such a loud pop that I, like, heard it and felt it so loudly,” Jason recalled.
“And then when I was on the ground, I looked down [and] my kneecap was in the wrong place.”
Tom Schwartz visibly winced as Jason described the injury in greater detail.
“I don’t know much about knee injuries like that, so I’m thinking maybe it’s just dislocated,” Jason explained.
The reality star later realized the damage was far more severe.
“My kneecap and shin were disconnected,” he said. “So, like, if I would roll one way, the kneecap would roll that way too.”
Jason added that he could physically feel the kneecap moving, which immediately made him realize something was seriously wrong.
“That’s why I’m like, there’s something weird here,” he said. “So I couldn’t roll over.”
Janet Caperna Says Jason Ignored Her Warning Before the Game
Jason’s wife, Janet Caperna, admitted during the After Show that she warned him not to overdo it before he left for the basketball game.
“Jason knew he shouldn’t have been playing,” Janet said.
She explained that Jason stopped regularly playing basketball years ago because of ongoing knee pain.
“Jason stopped playing basketball like 12 years ago because his knees were hurting him,” Janet shared. “And before he left, I told him, I was like, ‘Do not show off.’”
Jason previously played basketball in high school and later participated in recreational leagues while attending Boston College and after graduation.
Still, Janet joked that her husband may have pushed himself too hard at 42 years old.
Jason Caperna Worried Most About Parenting During Recovery
While Jason faced a long recovery after blowing out his knee, he admitted his biggest concern involved parenting his young son, Cameron.
During a confessional on the May 20 episode, Jason became emotional while discussing how the injury could impact his family life.
“To see my future of the next however many months where I’m going to be disabled is really scary,” Jason admitted.
“My son, like, he is at an age where he just wants to play, he just wants to run around,” he continued. “And I’m seeing the prospect of that vanishing for who knows how long, maybe forever.”
Earlier in the episode, Jason and Janet also discussed expanding their family and beginning a fertility journey.
According to the couple’s official season 3 cast bio, Jason’s injury becomes a major storyline moving forward.
“Hoping to expand their family, Janet and Jason start their fertility journey, but when Jason suffers a major injury, Janet is left having to take care of baby Cameron and Jason,” the bio teased.
New episodes of “The Valley” air Wednesdays on Bravo.
