Former NBA player Charlie Villanueva 'grateful to see another day' following alleged hit-and-run accident

“Our lives can't be replaced, but the vehicle can,” Charlie wrote on Instagram.

Former NBA forward Charlie Villanueva is “glad to be alive” following an alleged hit-and-run car accident.

“One thing we never take for granted is leaving the house and coming home,” Charlie wrote in an Instagram caption on Wednesday. “If you're wondering what happened, my wife and I were hit badly by another car, and the crazy thing was, the one who hit me decided to run away.”

His comments were accompanied by images that appeared to have been taken the day after the accident. In these images, car parts can be seen on the sidewalk with authorities present at the scene, although it is unclear where the accident occurred.

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The 39-year-old, who played in the NBA for more than a decade on various teams before retiring at the end of the 2016 basketball season, told supporters he had pain neck, back and a “broken car,” but he and his wife Lisette “Lala” Villanueva, with whom he posted jointly, were “grateful to see another day.”

“Our lives cannot be replaced, but the vehicle can,” he continued.

Charlie thanked God for protecting him and his wife before ending his message by offering his fans some inspirational words for the new year ahead. “So to those for whom 2023 has been a difficult year, a year of struggle, be grateful and do not give up, because once you emerge from the storm, you will see your true power,” the message concludes.

Charlie has two children from a previous relationship who were not mentioned in his post detailing the accident.

Lala and Charlie were married on July 24, 2021 in Dallas, Texas after he proposed to her on New Year's Eve 2020. According to her LinkedIn, Lala is a former sports journalist who is currently a real estate agent in the Dallas area -Fort Worth. .

Before the accident, Charlie had posted playful videos on his Instagram telling his followers about the best gifts husbands and wives could give each other.

The first video was captioned “The Best Christmas Gift a Wife Can Give Her Husband” and featured Lala presenting Charlie with a present wrapped in paper and a bow which ultimately revealed a sandwich. In the following video about the best Christmas gift a husband can give his wife, Charlie snuggled into a large decorative sack and hid under her Christmas tree.

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