Mónica Adaro, a well-known figure in Peru's entertainment industry, has been hospitalized in the United States after a drunk driver crashed head-on into her car, leaving her with fractures in both ankles that she said will keep her from walking for at least six months.
The former dancer and showgirl, who has lived in the United States for nearly three decades, said the crash happened on Sunday, September 6, 2026, in Stockton, California, a city about two and a half hours from her home. Stockton sits in California's Central Valley. She told the Peruvian newspaper Trome that a drunk man hit her head-on and that she was left trapped inside her car.
Trapped in the wreckage
Adaro said she remains at San Joaquín General Hospital and is due to be transferred to San José hospital the following week. She said she had surgery to repair and reconstruct fractures in both ankles, and that she will have to use a wheelchair because she cannot walk. She said doctors have told her she could possibly begin walking again in around six months, depending on how her therapy goes. She added that her car was a total loss.
She said she fainted after rescuers pulled her from the vehicle. The doors were jammed shut, she said, and the car filled with smoke before several people managed to force them open. She described the experience as horrible and deeply traumatic, and said she is now being given a strong opioid painkiller, morphine, to manage the pain and help her sleep.
Rise to fame in Peru's 'Chollywood'
Adaro became widely known in Peru during the 1990s as a dancer and showgirl, rising to popularity through her appearances on comedy programs including 'Risas y Salsa,' one of the country's best-known television comedy shows. She remains a familiar name in what is often called Peru's "Chollywood," a colloquial term for the country's entertainment and celebrity scene. Trome, the outlet she spoke to, is one of Peru's most widely read newspapers and covers entertainment news extensively.
Adaro said the man responsible for the crash has since been arrested. She said he was drunk and was driving a Dodge Challenger at high speed when he hit her car. She said that at one point during the ordeal she passed through the tunnel and did see the light, but that she was grateful to have survived and was recovering little by little. She said she thanked God for protecting her and had leaned on her son, her mother and other loved ones for support.
Facing a year away from work
Adaro said her lawyer is now working on a possible compensation claim, since the crash means she will be unable to return to her professional activities for a year. She said the accident derailed her work and family plans, and that her lifestyle has been reduced to permanent physical rest while she recovers.
She said she is currently receiving care from nurses for her medication and intensive-care needs, and that her recovery will depend on how her physical therapy progresses in the coming months.
