Robert Hetsler was a booming real estate intermediary in Jacksonville, Florida when his life came to a screeching halt in November of 2017. Hetslers Ford Roush Mustang, purchased at World Imports USA in Duval County Florida just 10 days prior, exploded in a parking lot while he sat in the driver seat. The malfunction left Hetsler without his hands, right ear, and in an 8-month medically-induced coma.
With just a 3% chance of survival, Hetsler defied the odds and emerged from the ICU a shocking 18 months later. With life forever changed, Hetsler decided to dedicate his life to inspiring others to overcome adversity.
This week, Hetsler--through his publicist and Executive Producer Eric Leopardi--announced the release of a new Amazon Prime docu-series detailing his story and featuring celebrity surgeons, experts, witnesses, and members of the community recounting the experience.
Hetsler will follow up the premier of the streaming series by releasing his first-ever memoir, a 45,000-word journey through what some consider a worst-case scenario. Expected to be the first in a series of memoirs, Hetsler's book will be landing at more than 40,000 retailers worldwide this summer.
Described as a “true crime-style docu-series” by sources close to the production, the first season will uncover new details and raise questions surrounding Hetslers case. With a ferocious nine-figure civil suit in progress, the stakes have never been higher to get the facts right.
Fueled by COVID-19 lockdowns, true crime is the fastest-growing category on Netflix, according to Ad Week. With viewers consuming more content than ever before, now seems to be the ideal time for Hetsler to tell his story.
In addition to experts and witnesses, Dr. Steven Zietel, celebrity surgeon and head of Harvard University’s Laryngectomy Department, will join the series to discuss his experience with Hetsler. Dr. Zietel performed groundbreaking surgery on Hetsler at Massachusetts General Hospital, in an attempt to restore Robert's speaking ability. Look for the first season streaming on Amazon Prime this summer.