Surviving something that nearly takes your life has a way of rearranging everything. For Mike Wolfe, last September’s devastating car crash is not just a memory. It is something he still carries with him.
The “American Pickers” star says the violent head-on collision he experienced with girlfriend Leticia Cline in September 2025 forced him to confront how fragile life truly is. Now, months later, in an interview with People, he describes the ordeal as something that changed him “forever.”
While his excitement is at its peak for the launch of his new series, “History’s Greatest Picks,” his focus is more on the perspective the past few months have given him.
The crash, he says, was a stark reminder of how quickly everything can turn upside down and how close he came to losing it all.
A Crash That Shifted His Perspective on Life
According to The New York Post, the crash occurred in September while Wolfe and Cline were riding in a vintage 1958 Porsche. The classic car did not have airbags. Wolfe had previously installed seatbelts, a precaution he takes with all of his restored vehicles. That choice, he believes, made the difference.
The impact left more than physical damage. Wolfe says the experience forced him to rethink how quickly life can change.
“I’ve learned that time is so precious and that none of us have a crystal ball,” Wolfe, 61, told People. “I mean, we’ve also been thrown into a system where we’ve been testifying in front of a court and [the other driver is] charged with vehicular assault. It’s just another level of life that we’ve walked through together.”
In the months since, Wolfe says the emotional toll has been just as significant as the injuries.
“It’s one of those things that changes you forever. You play the accident over and over again in your mind. But eventually, when that calms, then there’s this elevated sense of perspective on what’s important and what’s not.”
The Extensive Injuries They Survived
Both Wolfe and Cline were rushed to the hospital after the terrifying head-on collision.
Wolfe sustained a fractured nose and orbit, along with a sprained wrist and a torn meniscus in his knee. He had also previously reported injuries to his knees and wrist.
Fox News had earlier reported that Cline’s injuries were far more serious. She broke her jaw in three places and suffered broken ribs, a fractured sternum, and a collapsed lung. Doctors also treated significant swelling along her spine.
Wolfe says her recovery has been more complex and demanding. He calls her a “badass” and notes that she did not drive for a long time after the crash. Now, he says, she is back behind the wheel.
“We are so lucky to be alive. But it’s something that’s ongoing,” he says.
“I mean, it was life-changing as far as how things can change in a moment, and life is just so precious and short. We hear that, we talk about that, but to experience it, it was moving.”
Navigating Legal Fallout & Emotional Healing
The impact of the crash did not stop once they left the hospital. Wolfe says he and Cline have also had to face the legal aftermath. The other driver was charged with vehicular assault, and the couple has been required to testify in court. Each appearance means revisiting the worst day of their lives.
He admits it has not been easy. Sitting in a courtroom and replaying the collision has stirred up emotions they are still working through. But he says the experience has also brought them closer.
For Wolfe, the crash was a wake-up call. It reminded him how fragile everything is and how quickly life can turn. Since then, he says his priorities have shifted. Time feels more valuable. Family feels more central. The small things matter more than they did before.
A New Chapter With ‘History’s Greatest Picks‘
Five months after the crash, Wolfe is turning the page. His new series, “History’s Greatest Picks,” premieres Sunday, February 22, at 9 p.m. ET on The History Channel. The show spotlights extraordinary artifacts and traces the full journey behind each one.
While it echoes the spirit of “American Pickers,” the format digs deeper, following every piece from discovery to historical impact.
“People can see a story on this new show, the introduction of the item, and then the relationship of that item with the person that found it, and then we get into the history of the item,” Wolfe said.
“We’re coming from beginning to end with four stories in an hour. So it’s so cool for me to be able to be that conduit to tell their stories.”
Wolfe says he hopes the series offers more than entertainment. He wants it to create space for families to slow down and connect.
“I just want us to all have a moment to breathe, sit down with our families, get excited, not just about our history, but history from other parts of the world that this show is going to encompass,” he says. “And so that’s what I would like to see this show accomplish.”
After everything he and Cline had faced in the recent months, Wolfe says he carries a deep sense of gratitude for the second chance at life.
