15 Celebrities Who Had A Brush With Death And Live To Tell The Story

Travis Barker, Tracy Morgan, and Emilia Clarke are just some of them

Damjan

• Published in Film & TV
• June 13, 2022

It is so nice to be rich and famous. There are numerous aspects of life where celebrities benefit from their wealth and fame.

They get free stuff, get access to glam squads and fantastic fashion, get to travel the world, and, if they're really lucky, they get to work on intriguing and creative projects for a living. While many aspects of celebrity life appear to be incomprehensible, there is one fact that all celebrities share with the rest of us: no one lives forever.

While there are celebrities who die far too young (Chadwick Boseman, for instance), and celebrities who live to a ripe old age (Betty White), there are a surprising amount of celebrities who have had near-death experiences that their followers are unaware of. Some of our favorite celebrities have been badly injured or ill, yet they have survived to tell the tale.

These celebrities came closer to death's door than anyone would ever want to, from dramatic tragedies (including a horrifying plane crash) to abrupt and terrible illnesses. It is a painful reminder that no one is indestructible and that fame doesn't protect us from all harm.

Continue reading for the inside scoop on 15 celebrities who have survived near-death situations.

1. Zac Efron

In 2019, Zac Efron suffered a potentially fatal bacterial infection while filming a documentary series named, ironically, Killing Zac Efron, and had to be medically evacuated from Papua New Guinea to Australia for treatment. He has, thankfully, totally healed and is once again exploring the world.

2. Tracy Morgan

Tracy Morgan, the comedian, was a passenger in a limo that was involved in a multicar accident in 2014, which killed one person and sent numerous others to the hospital. Following the event, Tracy was in serious condition with a traumatic brain injury and a severely fractured leg.

He was confined to a wheelchair for five months as his body recovered from serious injuries.

3. Travis Barker

Travis Barker, the drummer for Blink-182, survived a private plane disaster in 2008 that killed two pilots, his security guard, and his assistant. He had 65 percent of his body burned and didn't fly again until 2021, owing to severe anxieties brought on by the trauma.

4. Lamar Odom

Lamar Odom, a former NBA player, and Khloé Kardashian's ex-husband, came dangerously close to death in 2015 when a narcotics overdose rendered him comatose in a Nevada brothel. He was taken to a Los Angeles hospital, where he endured 12 strokes and six heart attacks in the days following the overdose, according to reports.

Despite his survival, he continues to have memory problems as a result of his ordeal.

5. Emilia Clarke

Emilia Clarke, who plays Daenerys Targaryen on Game of Thrones, suffered two brain hemorrhages during the filming of season one of the popular show. According to a piece she published for The New Yorker, the type of stroke she experienced kills one-third of those who get it within a day of it happening — those are some terrifying statistics!

Emilia, thankfully, made a full recovery and was able to continue her role as the Mother of Dragons.

6. 50 Cent

In the year 2000, rapper 50 Cent was shot nine times at close range. He spent over two weeks in the hospital and months in physical rehabilitation afterward, including six weeks on a walker owing to bullet wounds in both legs.

7. Orlando Bloom

Orlando Bloom has had a number of film roles that have put his physical endurance to the test, but none more so than an incident in 1998 in which he fell three stories.

"I crushed my spine, narrowly escaping death and paralysis … grateful everyday for my limbs that allow me to push my limits and live life on my edge (safer now🙏)," he says.

8. Martin Lawrence

When comedian Martin Lawrence experienced severe heat stroke after jogging in multiple layers of clothing in 1999, he understood the hazards of trying to lose weight in extreme ways. He was attempting to shed weight for a role when he raised his body temperature to 107 degrees, fell into a coma for three days, and severely damaged his kidneys.

No acting job could possibly be worth that.

9. Sharon Stone

Sharon Stone, an actress, had a near-fatal stroke in 2001 and has since detailed a near-death experience as a result. She even claims to have witnessed the famed light tunnel, which she described as "extremely beautiful" and "quite odd."

10. Isla Fisher

Despite the presence of safety coordinators and stunt performers on set, things can still go wrong. Isla Fisher's release chain became snagged in her suit while filming an underwater sequence for the film Now You See Me.

She remained under for three minutes before she was able to free herself. It's terrifying!

11. Harrison Ford

Actor Harrison Ford enjoys flying, but his passion for the sport has led to multiple accidents, including a 2015 crash on a golf course in California. He was flying a vintage 1942 plane when it crashed due to a mechanical breakdown, resulting in severe injuries that kept him in the hospital for weeks.

12. Tiger Woods

Tiger Woods is one of the greatest golfers of all time, but he's had a difficult few years since his marriage ended in scandal, and details about his personal life were revealed. That bad luck continued in 2021 when he was gravely hurt in a car accident caused by him driving too fast and colliding with a tree.

13. Gloria Estefan

Gloria Estefan was nearly killed in an automobile accident in 1990 when a semi-truck collided with her tour bus. Her back was shattered in the accident, and doctors told her she might never be able to walk or have children again.

But, she bounced back and proved them wrong.

14. Salma Hayek

Salma Hayek, an actress, has stated that she was nearly killed by the COVID-19 virus in 2020.

"My doctor pleaded with me to go to the hospital because the situation was so serious. 'No, thank you,' I replied. 'I'd rather die at home,' she says."

Thankfully, she healed, however, she claimed that a year later, she still didn't have the same level of energy as before.

15. Rachel Bilson

Rachel Bilson, best known for her role on The O.C., was nearly killed in a vehicle accident when she was a teenager. Rachel was critically injured and spent several days in a coma after the car she was riding in was speeding and collided head-on with another automobile.

People hate thinking about death. We convince ourselves it's something far off on the horizon, something that occurs to other people.

Everything changes only when death approaches us. We become acutely aware of how precious life is and how limited time is. That's why you should keep it safe and not take any unnecessary risks.

Damjan