Why Is ‘American Idol’s Sam Sparks in a Wheelchair? The Accident That Left Him Paralyzed

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Ahead of the Sunday, March 23, episode of American Idol, the show released footage of an inspiring audition from Sam Sparks. Right off the bat, it was clear that Sam had a story to share, as he approached judges Lionel Richie, Carrie Underwood, and Luke Bryan in a wheelchair.

The 25-year-old Arkansas native opened up about his love of cars. “As far back as I can remember, cars have always been a passion of mine. I was 15 when I built my first car. I was so proud of that thing,” he shared.

However, a terrifying car accident in 2022 ended up being what put him in the wheelchair that he now relies on. “Two years ago, I was just headed to a shop that was maybe two miles away. It was raining, it was a little wet. The vehicle had some kind of failure and lost control and flew off the road,” Sam explained. “Thirty-five yards or so in the air, then landed, hit a parked car head-on.”

Disney/Eric McCandless

Sam was left paralyzed from the waist down after the accident. “I looked down and I couldn’t move my legs,” he recalled. “I immediately knew that my back was broken.” In a January 2023 TikTok video Sam said his accident resulted in “no feeling or movement from the waist down.” However, he kept a positive attitude, adding, “I may be paralyzed but I’m gonna make the best of it.”

For his Idol audition, Sam sang an original song he wrote called “Colorado Gray,” which he told the Arkansas Times was inspired by a fellow patient at the hospital he was in while recovering from his spinal cord surgeries.

Regarding his Idol audition, Sam told the outlet, “Just traveling with my equipment and dealing with the physical pain I experience every day, those things were all challenges. I got through it and was very excited to audition.”

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The performance impressed the judges. “I like the song,” Underwood said. “You got a cool voice to go along with it.” Bryan added, “I love how your voice is yours and different than what we have.” While the preview clips usually end before the judges reveal their decision about the contestant’s future in the competition, this one showed that Sam received a golden ticket and will be headed to Hollywood.

American Idol, Sundays, 8/7c, ABC

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