After suffering a traumatic limousine accident resulting in severe brain injury in June 2014, actor and comedian Tracy Morgan has kicked off his return to television with a bang, hosting Saturday Night Live on Oct. 17.

After the accident, Morgan was left in critical condition.  The star was unresponsive and in a coma for two weeks, in addition to having a broken femur, a broken nose, and broken ribs.  Many were unsure if the SNL and 30 Rock alum would fully recover or return to comedy.  Against all odds, the beloved actor returned to the SNL stage to do what he does best— make people laugh.

“[The accident] was awful, but it also showed me how much love and support I have in this world,” said Morgan in his opening monologue.

He expressed his gratefulness to “come back home” to SNL, where he started his career in comedy, and his joyful presence was once again onstage for the first time in over a year.

The actor was sure to bring the nostalgia to the NBC stage.  In the Oct. 17 episode of SNL, Morgan performed a skit based on his hit comedy 30 Rock with co-stars Tina Fey, Alec Baldwin, Jane Krakowski, and Jack McBrayer, in addition to bringing back two of his original Saturday Night Live characters, Astronaut Jones and animal expert Brian Fellow.  This episode had the highest 18-49 overnight ratings since January due to the hype surrounding Morgan’s long awaited return.

“What happened to Tracy Morgan was so tragic.  I’m so glad to hear that he’s happy and healthy again and that he’s still making jokes,” said sophomore Julia Ruskin.

Prior to hosting SNL, Morgan made a surprise appearance at the Emmys to present the award for best drama series on Sept. 20.  This was his first public appearance since the accident, and his speech moved many and aroused a standing ovation.

The comedian also recently announced that he will be going on a stand-up comedy tour, in which he entitled “Picking Up the Pieces.”  From Feb. 5 to May 28, Morgan will be touring all around the country with shows that will likely provoke both laughter and tears.  The goal of this tour is to pick up from where he left off after the accident and bring back the Tracy Morgan that we all know and love.  It is among the several steps the actor is taking to resurge his career in comedy.

“He’s such a great actor and he’s so funny!  I can’t wait to see what awesome things he’s going to do,” said sophomore Dara Kaufman.

Tracy Morgan has received extremely positive responses regarding his reentrance into the spotlight.  The performer has inspired many with his ability to recover physically, mentally, and emotionally and return to his passion.