Entertainment Sports MLB Star Pete Alonso Said He's 'Thankful to Be Alive' After His Truck Flipped 3 Times in Accident "To me this is just really special to be here," Pete Alonso said Monday from spring training, after he survived a car crash the day before in which his wife said that his truck flipped three times By Glenn Garner Glenn Garner Instagram Twitter Glenn Garner is a Writer/Reporter who works heavily with PEOPLE's Movies and TV verticals. Since graduating from Northern Arizona University with a dual major in journalism and photography, he got his professional start at OUT Magazine, The Advocate and Teen Vogue, and he's since consistently kept his finger on the pulse of the LGBTQ community. His first book The Guncle Guide was released in 2020 and was featured on Katie Couric's list of 100 recommended books of the year. People Editorial Guidelines Published on March 14, 2022 08:16 PM Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Pete Alonso/instagram. Inset: getty Pete Alonso is "thankful to be alive" after a near-death experience. The New York Mets first baseman, 27, walked away from a car crash Sunday after his truck flipped three times when he was struck by a driver who ran a red light while heading to his first day of spring training in Port St. Lucie, Florida, according to a statement from his wife Haley Alonso. "Yesterday I got in a really kinda brutal car accident. ... To me this is just really special to be here," he said on Monday, according to ESPN. "This is a really special spring training because yesterday was a really close experience to death." MLB Star Pete Alonso Unveils Special Hamburger He Created for Fans at Mets' Stadium: 'Damn Good' "I'm thankful to be alive. I'm really thankful that I'm healthy, very thankful to be here. Anything can happen at any given moment. I'm just really, really blessed to be here. One [moment] I was coming here to work, coming to spring training, and next thing I know I'm kicking my windshield in trying to get out of a flipped-over car. Just really blessed to be here. Thankful nothing is wrong. Also thank you Ford for having great engineering," Pete added. Tampa Police Department tells PEOPLE that the accident occurred around 6:30 p.m. and is under investigation. The other driver was issued a citation for running a red light and a passenger in their vehicle went to the hospital as a precaution, although only minor injuries were reported. Haley, whom Pete married in November, shared photos and video of the mangled vehicle at the scene, after witnessing the crash from her own car as she followed behind. "Once the car struck the side of his truck, it flipped 3 times and slid into where you see it in these videos," she wrote. "I slammed on my breaks, jumped out of my car and ran up to his truck. I was terrified of what I was going to see." She recounted screaming his name since she couldn't see through the broken windshield, which he kicked out to escape. RELATED VIDEO: MLB Star Ian Desmond Opts Out of 2020 Season Due to COVID-19 Concerns: 'Home Is Where I Need to Be' "He got himself out and to everyone's shock, only had a single scratch on his arm. It's a miracle that he's safe after this horrifying of an accident. I thought I watched my husband die in front of me and I will never forget that feeling," Haley added. Pete, who was named NL Rookie of the Year in 2019, is coming off another successful season with the Mets, hitting his 100th career home run in September.