What happened to Apple Watts? Update on reality TV star just over one year after her near fatal collision

Apple Watts was hospitalised in March 2022 following a near-fatal collision. Watts, who is a reality TV star, was driving in Baker California when she was involved in a car accident and had to be rushed to hospital after suffering from major injuries. 

Now, eleven months after she accused her sister of stealing her donation money meant to support her recovery, Apple Watts has spoken to The Shade Room (TSR) about her journey. So what happened to Apple Watts and how is she now? Here is what you need to know. 

Who is Apple Watts? 

Apple Watts, 38, whose real name is Jontelle Lafaye Watts, is a reality television star, model dancer, and singer. She rose to fame after appearing on season five of VH1's Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood but has also featured as a dancer in music videos with Chris Brown, Snoop Dogg andTy Dolla $ign. Reportedly, she has a net worth of $1 to $2 million and has three children. Watts was born in Alta Loma, California, alongside her sister, Dominique Flournoy. 

What happened to Apple Watts?

On 24 March 2022, it was revealed Watts, who was 36 at the time, had been involved in a serious car accident. It was reported that Watts was travelling in her Mercedes in Baker in Los Angeles to Las Vegas when she was involved in a collision with a Ford F250 pickup truck. 

As a result, her car reportedly flipped "multiple times" and burst into flames when it came to a stop. Watts sustained serious injuries including a shattered spine, a broken arm and a fractured skull. She was airlifted to University Medical Center in Las Vegas, where her condition was dubbed as critical - and she was placed in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). 

How is Apple Watts now? 

On 18 August 2023, Watts spoke to The Shade Room to give an update about her recovery journey. In the interview she shared how she is able to mostly function on her own, and hopes to be without the walker by the end of the year.

She has profusely thanked anyone who has donated to her page as she does not have adequate health insurance as the donations have gone towards her physical therapy, which she does three times a week. She said: "The Shade Room helped me a lot. It gave more people knowledge of what’s been going on with me. I am where I’m at because the people been donating.” Watts also acknowledged how, while her sister was defrauding her, “strangers” and “people with regular jobs” were the ones to offer their support.

In September 2022, Watts accused her sister of keeping the money from her GoFundMe page to herself, saying she has never received the GoFundMe donations from Flournoy. According to the new update by TSR, a judge ruled in favour of Watts and granted her $10,000 from the page her sister set up.

Watts has also shared that she has two upcoming reality TV projects called Hustle and Gamble and The Heart of Apple, which starts soon. The full interview can be watched below:

On 12 April, Flournoy provided an update after Watts had a successful surgery on her neck on 29 March. She previously said that her sister was unresponsive but stable. However, now she is up, alert, understands and follows commands as she slowly regains her balance and speech. 

Watts' mother took to Instagram and wrote how Watts is recovering slowly. She said: "My baby still unresponsive but stable, she will undergo surgery on the 15th (April) for her right eye that doesn’t close all the way. They will be putting a weight in the lid that will still allow her to open and close her eye.Still her nerves are bad on that side and if this isn’t done she could have complications or even go blind because her eye isn’t closing all the way. Please keep the prayers coming."

Later, Flournoy posted a screengrab of a search for "MRSA medical term". She said: "This is the infection my sister has in her lungs and is now to be found in her right arm she is getting treated with antibiotics just takes a while to clear up... keep praying."

Watts has taken to social media as she reveals her recovery process, from the physical therapy sessions, to emotional posts on how she feels after the collision. She made her return back to social media in December 2022 and has been updating her progress since then.