Tatum O'Neal "almost died" in 2020 after a debilitating stroke. But last week, she made a rare public appearance with her family. We have the details below.
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Tatum O'Neal Went Out on the Town
As Page Six reports, the 62-year-old O'Neal was out on Saturday, Oct. 24, with her daughter Emily McEnroe and son-in-law Tim Massarelli. She used a cane as she made her way outside.
The Oscar-winning actress wore a black midi dress and a navy blue suit jacket for the occasion. She was all smiles, wearing a long necklace, black loafers, and glasses.
The moment came after O'Neal shared a selfie with fans on Instagram earlier this month. She captioned the image with one word: "Hope."
It's Been a Long Road to Recovery for O'Neal
O'Neal won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1974 at 10 years old for her role in Paper Moon. She still holds the record as the youngest person ever to win a competitive Oscar.
But it's been a tough road for O'Neal. She shared in 2023 that her 2020 stroke was caused by an overdose on "a combination of pain medication, opiates, and morphine."
O'Neal said she had been prescribed the medications for rheumatoid arthritis and back and neck pain. She was found by a friend in her Los Angeles home and taken to a local hospital. In addition to suffering a stroke, she was in a coma for six weeks. The actress was then diagnosed with aphasia.
O'Neal said that she "almost died." She also revealed that she'd been an "addict [her] whole life, pretty much on and off, for the past 30 to 40 years."
Her son, Kevin McEnroe, whom she shares with ex-husband John McEnroe, was worried O'Neal wouldn't make it.
"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."
Kevin also said O'Neal is working to become sober after years of addiction.
"I think it's beautiful," he added. "I've never been more proud to be her son. She's full of love and full of heart ... it's a miracle to behold."
