Dax Shepard recalls ‘shockingly comforting’ near-death car crash as teen

(NewsNation) — Dax Shepard was at peace during a near-death experience he had when he was a teenager. The host of the “Armchair Expert” podcast was speaking to actress Kaley Cuoco when he revealed he thought he was going to die in a car accident in high school. “I don't know what the definition is,” he said during the episode. “But I have had the moment, which is among the most unique feelings I've ever had in my life, where I went, ‘Oh, I'm about to die.’ I'm like seconds away from dying.” Shepard recalled that he and a friend, whom he didn’t name, were driving to Detroit from Toledo, Ohio, when his friend told him he was “totally fine” to drive. The “Parenthood” actor laid down in the back of the car to sleep when his friend put on cruise control. “He had the cruise control on 85,” Shepard told Cuoco. “And I'm back there, I'm listening and then the road was really rhythmic. I was just at that moment, I was like, ‘Oh, that rhythm is nice. I'm going to fall asleep.’ And then I just heard gravel hitting the side of the car.” Shepard said that he tried to take control of the car, but he was too late: “There was a moment where was I just knew it was too far gone. Like we had gone completely sideways.” He continued, “I definitely had this moment where I was like, ‘Oh wow, I'm going to die in a second.' And the feeling was shockingly comforting, like that I remember. I went from like complete fear, ‘S--- the car is out of control, oh my god, we’re going to roll. F--- we’re rolling, I’m going to die.’ Like all that calculus—and then I just got very calm.”