Actress Tatum O’Neal opened up about the 2020 overdose that almost killed her.

In a recent chat with People, Oscar winner Tatum O’Neal addressed when she overdosed and almost experienced a stroke. The actress spoke about how close she was to dying because of the overdose and the six-week coma that followed it.

“I almost died,” she told the outlet. The actress added that she has been an “addict [her] whole life, pretty much on and off, for the past 30 to 40 years.”

Tatum, together with children Kevin, Sean and Emily, opened up to People about what caused the overdose and how they experienced that moment.

“It was the phone call we’d always been waiting for,” Kevin said. “She also had a cardiac arrest and a number of seizures. There were times we didn’t think she was going to survive.”

According to their statements, O’Neal overdosed on prescription pills during the COVID pandemic. “She had become very isolated. With the addition of morphine and heavier pharmaceuticals, it was getting scary. COVID, chronic pain, all these things led to a place of isolation. In that place, I don’t think, for her, there was much hope.” Kevin said.

During that time, the actress was also diagnosed with aphasia. “At times, it was touch and go. I had to call my brother and sister and say she was thought to be blind, deaf and potentially might never speak again.” Kevin added.

Tatum O’Neal Children

Tatum and her ex-husband, tennis player John McEnroe share three children, Kevin McEnroe, 37, Sean McEnroe, 35, and Emily McEnroe, 32. The former couple got married in 1986 and divorced in 1994.

Published by HOLR Magazine.