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Thursday, July 18, 2002
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'American Idol'
A day after his shocking fall off the American Idol stage, RJ Helton gave "Extra" the one-on-one exclusive about Tuesday night's tragic event.
RJ told "Extra," "I was doing some media on stage and I guess I lost my balance and tried to grab something on stage and it came with me, so I fell flat on my back."
Upstairs at CBS studios, far from other camera crews, RJ, still unable to walk, was transported in a wheelchair for the "Extra" interview.
RJ had started the evening on a high note, but wound up at Los Angeles’ Cedars Sinai Medical Center with a team of neurologists. "Extra" obtained the 911 tape of the incident.
While the security guard on the tape sounded calm, he had no idea RJ lay motionless in a pit beneath the stage, unable to move. RJ says, "I was just scared. I didn't know if it was going to be permanent damage."
RJ made a grand entrance on Wednesday night's episode, showing the same persistence that impressed the judges when he was chosen as the wild card winner last week. But through ups and downs, the laughter and the tears, RJ Helton says this is as good as it gets. He says, "I'm living my dream right now."
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