Kevin Ware Goes On Letterman, Shares ‘Top 10 Thoughts’ About Breaking His Leg

Kevin Ware went on Letterman on Thursday, turning his horrific broken leg into a bit of light comedy.

Ware has become something of a celebrity after snapping his leg in Louisville’s win over Duke in the NCAA tournament’s Elite Eight. The injury played out on live television, with viewers seeing Ware’s tibia snap and protrude from his skin.

In the days since suffering the injury on Sunday, Ware has done interviews and urged on his Louisville Cardinals as they advance to the Final Four in Atlanta. He’s also undergone surgery and had a metal rod inserted in his leg to help the fractured bone to heal.

Ware and the Louisville athletic department kept an interested public abreast of his recovery, sending pictures when he walked on crutches the day after the injury and showed him in bed with the team’s trophy.

The player recovered in time to accompany his team to Atlanta, but first Kevin Ware had a date with Letterman.

“This goes from a terrible tragedy to bit of a miracle, doesn’t it?” Letterman said, talking with Ware before reading a Top 10 List of “Thoughts going through Kevin Ware’s mind” after he suffered the broken leg:

10. “What was that loud cracking sound?”

9. “I hope this doesn’t leave a bruise.”

8. “Hey look, my tibia!”

7. “Ouch.”

6. “Did it go in?”

5. “Oh boy, hospital food.”

4. “Tape it up, coach, I’m staying in.”

3. “They fired Leno?”

2. “Heat then ice? Or ice then heat?”

1. “At least my bracket’s not busted.”

Kevin Ware went on to tell Letterman that he hasn’t seen video of the injury and doesn’t plan on it. He also talked about how he made sure to contact his mother before he was rushed into surgery.

“I know she freaks out over the littlest things,” Ware said. “I called her and made sure she was all right.”

Kevin Ware spoke to Letterman from his team’s hotel in Atlanta. His team plays Wichita State on Saturday for a chance to go to the national title game.