A vascular surgeon and medical historian, Dr. Craig A. Miller, has sparked debate with the release of a previously unseen video of Lynyrd Skynyrd guitarist Allen Collins playing the guitar in a hospital just days after the 1977 plane crash that took the lives of three band members. The video, which shows Collins in hospital attire with a neck brace and an orthopaedic fixator, is a stark reminder of the crash's impact. The footage was part of a medical film project documenting trauma recovery and was rediscovered during the University of Mississippi Medical Center's archive digitisation. Initially shared on Lynyrd Skynyrd-related Facebook groups, the video has been viewed over two million times in five days. However, Miller has had to deny that the footage is AI-generated, as some have questioned its authenticity. The video, which includes Collins playing the opening lines to 'Sweet Home Alabama', has been removed from Facebook and YouTube but remains accessible via other platforms. Collins' involvement in a second fatal accident in 1986, where he crashed his car and lost his girlfriend, further highlights his turbulent journey. Despite these setbacks, he continued to perform, even appearing on stage in a wheelchair during Lynyrd Skynyrd's 1987 reunion tour to raise awareness about the dangers of drunk driving. His passing from pneumonia three years later marked the end of a complex and eventful life.
