Tatum O’Neal is nearly blind, mute and unable to walk

Oscar-winning actress Tatum O’Neal more people suffered dramatic medical complications after relapse and drug overdose.

Tatum O’Neal near Death’s Door

THE Paper moon the actress has been close to death too many times to count. “I almost died,” he admitted. His oldest son, Kevin McEnroe, 37, believed that call was what he and his brothers feared. “This was the phone call we’ve been waiting for.”

McEnroe, whose father is tennis legend John McEnroe, continued. “He had a cardiac arrest and several seizures. There were times when we didn’t think he would survive,” the mother and son shared the details PEOPLE magazine.

The stroke put O’Neal in a coma for six weeks, and although he appeared to have pulled through, Kevin and his siblings Sean, 35, and Emily, 32, still had huge fears for his quality of life. They wondered if he would ever walk or talk again.

Overdose occurred in 2020

The struggle was so real that the family kept the devastating news a secret for three years. Yes, that overdose happened in 2020, and over the past three years, O’Neal has spent the past three years in various rehabs trying to regain his strength, memory, and ability to read and write.

He’s progressing better than most people in this position. “I’ve been through a lot,” she admits, but she’s finally ready to share her story, hoping it will help someone else struggling with sobriety.

O’Neal’s story of addiction is all too common in today’s society. During the epidemic, he became addicted to prescription pills.

Tatum O’Neal was in pain

The actress was prescribed painkillers for her back and neck pain, as well as her rheumatoid arthritis. In May 2020, he overdosed on painkillers, opiates and morphine.

Luckily, her friend in Los Angeles found her at her apartment and she was rushed to the hospital. Since the incident, he has focused on recovery. “She was very isolated,” says Kevin, proving that it was a difficult few years for the actress.

“With the addition of morphine and harder drugs, it became more and more frightening. COVID, chronic pain, all of these things led to a place of isolation. In this place, I don’t think there was much hope for him.”

During her recovery, things took a turn for the worse for the actress; he was diagnosed with aphasia, a condition that affects the language part of the brain. In addition to falling into a coma, his “right frontal cortex was damaged.”

It was hit or miss with Tatum O’Neal

Kevin admitted: “It was a touch at times. I had to call my brother and sister and tell them they were blind, deaf, and might never speak again.” When he came out of the coma, “He didn’t know where he was; he couldn’t say, ‘I’m scared,’” Kevin recalled.

To make matters worse, his family couldn’t see him in person due to COVID restrictions. They were only able to communicate through video and phone calls when they were finally able to visit their mother. “The first time Emily visited, she had to stand behind glass,” says Kevin.

Fortunately, O’Neal is on the road to recovery and focused on sobriety. It’s hard, but she attends Twelve Step meetings and therapy. “Emotionally, I still have a lot of the things that made my mom want to do drugs in the first place,” Kevin admits.

“I’ve been trying to get sober my whole life. I try every day,” admits O’Neal.