Oliver Martinez's Sympathy Pain for Kylie Minogue 1/18/07

French actor Oliver Martinez's brush with death 10 years ago helped him support his pop star girlfriend Kylie Minogue through her cancer ordeal.

The Swat star had a terrifying motorcycle accident - and there were fears the hunky French actor would never walk again. However, the 41-year-old proved doctors wrong, and it gave him a new outlook on life which he happily shared with the singer.

He recalls, "I broke my back in a motorcycle accident and came close to dying. Looking at my smashed up bike, I can't believe I survived.

"Doctors told me I'd end up in a wheelchair but I was lucky.

"Even now, more than 10 years later, I'm happy just to walk in the morning.

The accident helped me to learn the true price of life. It puts everything in perspective - money, fame. My philosophy is to live for today because you could die tomorrow. None of us is here for ever."