LOS ANGELES — Jay Leno’s time in the hospital has come to an end, just in time for Thanksgiving.
The former “Tonight Show” host was released from the Grossman Burn Center on Monday, more than a week after he was hospitalized for severe burn injuries.
“After a 10-day stay at the facility, Jay will receive follow-up care at the Grossman Outpatient Burn Clinic for burns to his face, chest and hands he received during a fire at his home garage,” the Grossman Burn Center said in a statement shared with The Times on Monday. “He is looking forward to spending Thanksgiving with his family and friends and wishes everyone a wonderful holiday.”
Dr. Peter Grossman, the medical director at the Grossman Burn Center in West Hills, added that he is “pleased with Jay’s progress, and I am optimistic that he will make a full recovery.”
The medical center also shared a photo of Leno in an all-denim outfit standing and smiling with several Grossman Burn Center staffers.
On Nov. 12, the “Jay Leno’s Garage” star, and automobile enthusiast, received serious injuries when he was working on a car in his Burbank garage. His release comes just days after Grossman shared in a press briefing last week that Leno received a mix of second- and third-degree burns to his face, hand and chest.
Burbank fire paramedics responded to an emergency medical call at the star’s garage and transported him to an emergency room, according to the fire department.
Leno will return home after undergoing multiple surgeries — including a surgical excision to remove damaged tissue — and hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
During last week’s press briefing, Grossman added that Leno was in “good spirits” during his recovery. The medical expert said the “Tonight Show” star passed out cookies to children at the medical center and was “walking around and cracking jokes.”
“He seems to be a gentleman who really just does not want to make a big deal of this. He wants to move forward and he wants to get back to work,” Grossman said. “I had to tell him that he needs to step it back a little bit and just realize that some of [this] takes time.”
During Leno’s 10-day stay at the Grossman Burn Center, friend and fellow comic Tim Allen paid him a visit. On Thursday, the “Santa Clauses” star told TMZ in the medical center’s parking lot about Leno’s condition.
“He’s handsome, and he’s happy, and the hospital’s doing a great job taking care of him,” Allen said.
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