Celebrities Who Have Had Near Death Experiences


Entertainment | By Charlie Blacks II | March 20, 2018

There's no escaping the reality that one day we're all going to meet our makers, except for maybe Betty White. She's going to live forever (NOTE TO SELF: Go back and edit this if something bad happens to Betty White). Most of us are not Betty White though, which is why we should all live our lives to the best of our abilities and do exactly what our hearts desire before that day comes.

In the past few years no one has seemed more susceptible to death than celebrities. That's because EVERYONE knows celebrities. How many people know your Aunt Gertrude? When a celebrity dies, it shakes the whole world to its core. Yeah, this might be a dark topic to address but it's just the truth.

Even though celebrities appears to be larger than life, and totally untouchable, they can still fall to the many different ways that death can take you; murder, addiction, old age, disease, and whatever other horrible thing you can think of. With that said, check out these fifty celebrities that came very close to death but are still with us today.

Kanye West

Kanye West has turned into one of the biggest international superstar hip-hop artists in the world and in a very short amount of time. He's single-handedly changed the face the music and continues to grow as a musician as well as a fashion designer as he's released several original collections under his YEEZY imprint, not to mention the success he's had in the sneaker industry with both Nike and adidas.

Sadly, Kanye was almost a goner when he fell asleep at the wheel after leaving the studio in 2002. West was forced to have his jaw wired shut and a plate inserted into his face in order to reform his facial structure. In his first single, 'Through The Wire', Kanye rapped about the accident and stated the following, "Well, the only thing this accident is saying is, 'I am about to hand you the world, just know at any given time I can take it away from you.' To nearly lose your life, to nearly lose your mouth, your voice, your whole face, as a rapper... and I had to be on TV! My face looks crazy to me now... But I have to just thank God for the situation that I am in..."

Gary Busey

Gary Busey might look like a real-life version of comic book villain, Red Skull, but that hasn't stopped him from starring in over 150 films throughout his long and illustrious career. Busey has made appearances in films like Lethal Weapon, Point Break, Black Sheep, and surprisingly Piranha 3D while his television appearances include Walker, Texas Ranger, and Entourage, where he does a pretty good impression of himself.

We almost lost the Academy Award winning actor in 1988 when he was involved in a devastating motorcycle accident in which doctors claimed that Busey could potentially suffer from permanent brain damage after cracking his skull. During the time of the accident, Gary Busey was not wearing a helmet. You know what that means, kids? Wear your helmet or you could end up looking like Gary Busey.

Sylvester Stallone

Sylvester Stallone AKA Rocky has beaten every opponent he's faced in some form or fashion, hell, he even beat cancer in the movie Creed. But what many don't know is that Stallone's rise to prominence wasn't always sweet. At one point in time, he was homeless and wrote the script for Rocky himself at a local library during the day and was even underpaid for the first film. But now, he's rolling in the dough.

Even though Rocky might seem invincible in the movies, Sylvester Stallone is very much human in real life. During the filming of The Expendables, his fight scene with Stone Cold Steve Austin was so intense he suffered a fractured neck that required surgery, this is what Stallone had to say about the ordeal, "Actually, my fight with Stone Cold Steve Austin was so vicious that I ended up getting a hairline fracture in my neck. I'm not joking. I haven't told anyone this, but I had to have a very serious operation afterwards. I now have a metal plate in my neck."

Burt Reynolds

Burt Reynolds is not only known for his elaborate acting ability but he was also a former football player which came to use when he starred in the feature film, The Longest Yard, while his true rise to prominence came in the form of a television show, Gunsmoke. His role in the film, Deliverance, allowed him to become a household name while he won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Boogie Nights.

We almost lost the legendary actor during his fight with drug addiction which caused him to slip into a coma. Later, Burt Reynolds recalled when he hearing doctors scream 'we're losing him' prior to drifting out of consciousness. Luckily, he was able to beat his drug addiction and came back to the physical realm with the rest of us.

Sharon Stone

In the '90s, Sharon Stone was considered a sex symbol but if you ask us, she's definitely aged like wine. From her appearances in War and Remembrance, where she got her first big break allowed her to be a part of major films like Total Recall, Basic Instinct, and Martin Scorsese's, Casino. She's been raking in the accolades and awards from the Golden Globes to the Academy Award for Best Actress.

What many don't know is that Sharon Stone almost died not once but twice. In 1990, she was involved in a head-on collision and in 2001, she almost died from a brain aneurysm and also claimed to see the 'white light'. This is what Stone had to say about her car accident, "I was hit head-on and don't know how I escaped with my life. I dislocated my jaw, sprained my back, broke a rib, and twisted a knee. I was put in a back brace and told to stay in bed for six months."

Orlando Bloom

Whoever Orlando Bloom's agent is, we need their digits because they haven't missed yet with his extensive resume. Bloom is known for his role as Legolas in the Lord of the Rings trilogy which eventually crossed over to the spin-off The Hobbit trilogy while Bloom has also made appearances in the Pirates of the Caribbean series as well as the movie Troy.

Fortunately for Bloom, he's able to live another day and roll in the dough despite the fact that he almost killed himself after falling off of a three-story drain pipe he was attempting to climb. The fall actually left Bloom paralyzed for several days which had to be a terrifying experience for the actor who was only 21-years-old at the time. Luckily, he's here to live another day and grace the big screen for all of us to enjoy.

Martin Lawrence

Martin Lawrence's longevity and popularity in the entertainment industry is sneakily surprising as he's established himself as a comedian, television and movie star, and writer. Some of you might remember him from the House Party series but a lot of you youngsters might recognize his face from the resurging Martin series that is supposedly going to be rebooted in the near future as well as movies like the Bad Boys series, Blue Streak, and Life.

Back in 1999, Martin Lawrence made news headlines when he suffered a heat stroke while preparing for a movie role. Lawrence was dressed in heavy clothing and a plastic sweat suit while jogging in 100-degree weather causing him to collapse and go into a three-day coma where his breathing was assisted by a ventilator while his body temperature was at a staggering 107 degrees Fahrenheit.

Martin Sheen

Martin Sheen is a decorated actor who began his acting career in 1961 and is still booking some major roles to this very day at the age of 77. Sheen's leading role in the 1979 rendition of Apocalypse Now made him a household name while he's also been in feature films like The Amazing Spider-Man, The Departed, and also starred in the television series, The West Wing as President Josiah Bartlet.

Unfortunately, Sheen almost died while shooting his acclaimed film, Apocalypse Now, when he had a heart attack while on set. He was forced to crawl in the midst of the jungle in search for help. Luckily, he was able to find someone and get the aid he required. Sheen recovered in a couple of weeks and was able to finish filming the movie. Talk about being lucky.

Ellie Goulding

English singer, Ellie Goulding is a chart-topping pop singer that has gained quite the following overseas. Goulding currently has recorded three mainstream albums entitled, Lights, which was later re-released as Bright Lights, her second studio album, Halcyon which was also re-released as Halcyon Days, and her latest album release in Delirium. In December of 2015, Goulding received her first Grammy nomination for Best Pop Solo Performance for 'Love Me Like You Do'.

Well, we could have lost the English pop star after she almost drowned in a frozen lake in Norway during the European leg of her tour. She was forced to climb out of the roof of a car in -25 degree Celsius weather in the middle of the night in order to survive. Sounds like something straight out of a movie if you ask us.

Donald Sutherland

Donald Sutherland is 82-years-young and still kicking to this very day. We've seen him in classic shows like M*A*S*H, The Dirty Dozen, and Animal House. While some of you millennials might recognize Sutherland from films like The Italian Job, Cold Mountain, Pride & Prejudice, and The Hunger Games franchise.

In 1970, Donald Sutherland almost died of spinal meningitis while filming Kelly Heroes. Sutherland spoke on his near-death experience saying, "I got sick in the middle of shooting Kelly's Heroes. I came to Yugoslavia for a day's filming, and I was out for six weeks... They took me to the hospital - I had spinal meningitis. They didn't have the antibiotics, so I went into a coma, and they tell me that for a few seconds, I died. I saw the blue tunnel, and I started going down it. I saw the white light. I dug my feet in."

Louis Gossett Jr.

Louis Gossett Jr.'s acting career has stretched over a span of five decades and he's been a part of some major movie productions like A Raisin in the Sun, The Landlord, The Deep, Jaws 3-D, Toy Soldiers, Roots, and The Punisher. If you want to talk to anyone about longevity in the entertainment industry, Louis Gossett Jr. is the man, and at 81-years-old, he's still at it to this very day.

But, we almost lost the prominent actor when he was only 12-years-old. While he was playing baseball with a group of friends, he fell into a deep sinkhole where he claimed to have seen the light and came close to dying before being recovered from the hole and rushed to a local medical facility. Luckily, he was able to make a full recovery and pursue his dream as a thespian.

Ozzy Osbourne

The undisputed Godfather of Heavy Metal Ozzy Osbourne has lived quite a crazy life. Ozzy was once the frontman of the notorious Black Sabbath band but later was kicked out of the band where he started his solo career and went on to release eleven albums, seven of which went platinum. Ozzy's also been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and later turned into quite the reality star alongside his family on MTV's, The Osbournes.

Back in 2003, Ozzy Osbourne was involved in an ATV accident that could have killed the legendary rock star. Ozzy suffered from a broken collarbone, eight fractured ribs that pinched several blood vessels as well as damaged vertebrae in his neck. Ozzy spoke on the accident saying, "The bloody thing nearly killed me. I am lucky to be here today and not paralyzed."

Isla Fisher

What many people don't know about Isla Fisher is that she originally began her acting career in Australia on a children's adventure series known as Bay Cove as well as a short-lived soap opera known as Paradise Beach. But now, she's known for her prominent roles in movies like the Wedding Crashers, Scooby Doo, and Arrested Development.

While shooting Now You See Me, Isla almost lost her life when she was held under water for over three minutes during a stunt went bad. Isla recalls the incident stating the following, "My chain got stuck. I had to really swim to the bottom; I couldn't get up. Everyone thought I was acting fabulously. I was actually drowning. No one realized I was actually struggling." Luckily, her safety latch eventually pulled and she was able to be rescued.

George Clooney

George Clooney has the ability to have any woman in the world with his dashing good looks, talent, and charm. Clooney might have made his acting debut in 1978 but, his big break came through in the form of a television hospital drama in ER in 1994. Since then, he's gone on to win a crazy amount of awards and accolades for his roles on the silver screen. Not to mention, Clooney has also become a known face in the activism and philanthropist realm.

While shooting Syriana, Clooney broke his back and almost died which in turn had the actor contemplating suicide because of the aggravating pain. George spoke on the incident exclaiming, "I was lying in a hospital bed with an IV in my arm, unable to move, having these headaches where it feels like you're having a stroke, and for a short three-week period, I started to think, 'I may have to do something drastic about this' ... but I never thought I'd get there."

Eric Roberts

Eric Roberts is secretly the hardest working man in show business. He's amassed over a total of 400 credits over a span of four decades. In the 1970s, Roberts starred as the lead role in the feature film, King of the Gypsies, and has made appearances in more recent films like The Expendables and The Dark Knight while having recurring roles in popular television shows like Heroes and The Young and the Restless. Not to mention, Eric just so happens to be the older sibling of Julia Roberts. Crazy, right?

In the 1980s, Eric almost passed away after he was involved in a brutal car accident that resulted in the American actor slipping into a coma for quite some time. Luckily, he was able to regain consciousness and his motor skills and is still with us to this very day.

50 Cent

50 Cent has gone from hardcore gangsta rapper to respected businessman. When he was introduced to the world as a musician, he instantly had an impact on the hip-hop realm and sold tens of millions of records and now, he's taken the television and film world by storm. He's single-handedly keeping Showtime afloat with his hit TV drama, Power, which is definitely worth checking out.

Many have heard the story of how Curtis Jackson AKA 50 Cent almost lost his life prior to blowing up in the rap scene. In 2000, he was shot nine times in what many believe was a hit. He was also shot in the face and still has a partial bullet fragment lodged in his jaw and had to be revived multiple times while on the operating table. Oh, and by the way... The man who supposedly shot 50 is no longer alive himself after being killed in the streets of New York.

Tony Bennett

Tony Bennett is 91-years-old and still kickin' to this very day but there has been a time where he too, almost met his maker. Bennett has been an active jazz musician/singer since 1945 and he's even touched genres such as traditional American pop, big band, and show tunes. Tony Bennett has also established himself as quite the artist/painter as well as the founder of the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts in New York.

Bennett has lived quite the life though as he almost died via a drug overdose, in Bennett's autobiography he relived the experience stating the following, "A golden light enveloped me in a warm glow.I had the sense that I was about to embark on a very compelling journey. But suddenly I was jolted out of the vision ... I knew I had to make major changes in my life."

Drew Barrymore

Drew Barrymore was born into the entertainment industry being that she's the granddaughter of the critically acclaimed actor, John Barrymore. Her initial breakout role started in the cult classic film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial as a child actor and since then has gone on to have one of the best runs in the Hollywood realm. From Scream, to 50 First Dates, to Charlie's Angels Drew Barrymore is as diverse as they come.

Luckily, Barrymore was able to escape death herself thanks to her dog who had warned her and her then-husband, Tom Green, after a fire broke out in their home in the middle of the night. The fire that took place was so extravagant that it did more than $700,000 in damage to their home. Barrymore and Green could have easily died in that fire if it wasn't for man's best friend.

Ryan Reynolds

Ryan Reynolds went from funny frontman to full-blown major motion picture action film star. Reynolds gained notoriety after starring in the 2002 film, National Lampoon's Van Wilder, The In-Laws, and Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle. These days, Reynolds is earning big checks in comic book films like Deadpool, starring as DC Comics superhero Green Lantern, and will star in the upcoming film Detective Pikachu.

Sadly, Ryan Reynolds enthusiasm for extreme sports was killed after a skydiving incident went horribly wrong. Reynolds explained the incident stating, "When I was 17 years old, I took a skydiving course, and it was just awful. Every second of it was just truly horrendous. On my 13th jump, I jumped out of the plane, and my chute failed. It came out the wrong way, I had to pull the reserve. I got down on the ground, removed my urine-spackled jumpsuit, threw it at the guy, and got in my car and drove extremely slowly home. It was the worst. Now I get on planes, and I can't do it anymore."

Sarah Silverman

Sarah Silverman is known for her quirky antics, social commentary, and comedy. She's tackled a multitude of controversial issues from gender bias, sexism, racism, and religion. Sarah Silverman has also starred in multiple shows she's curated including The Sarah Silverman Program and her latest endeavor in the Hulu exclusive, I Love You, America.

Unfortunately, in 2016, Sarah Silverman almost was a goner after developing a rare condition known as epiglottitis, a disease where the epiglottis [or the cartilage covering the windpipe] becomes inflamed and blocks the air flow to the lungs. Silverman was rushed to Cedar-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles and was treated for the condition. She also stated the following, "I was drugged just enough to not feel the pain and have no idea what was happening or where I was. They had to have my hands restrained to keep me from pulling out my breathing tube."

Chevy Chase

Chevy Chase is an OG cast member on the notorious Saturday Night Live! skit television series and also rose to prominence as Fletch via the National Lampoon's Vacation films, in which he was a part of five motion pictures. He later became a figure in the comedy realm and starred in a plethora of noteworthy films. But for all of you youngsters out there, you probably recognize Chevy from the hit television series, Community.

What many people don't know is that Chevy was almost worm food after an accident occurred while filming Modern Problems when he was electrocuted and rendered unconsciousness causing him to nearly meet his maker before being revived and coming back to consciousness. Whatever mishap happened on that set, hopefully, someone ended up on the unemployment line. We almost lost a legend.

Rachel Bilson

Fun fact that many people don't about Rachel Bilson is that she's the daughter of a sex therapist. That's right, Bilson's mother, Janice Stango, knows all about doing the nasty which must have been strange growing up in that household but, that's another story. Bilson is mostly known for her role on the television series, The O.C. and made her movie debut in 2006's, The Last Kiss.

What many don't know is that Rachel Bilson almost lost her life at the tender age of just 14-years-old in a car accident that has left her with permanent side effects. Bilson's head struck the window of the car she was riding in and as a result of the accident, she suffers from migraines because of her injuries. Bilson spoke on the accident, stating the following, "I basically died and then came back. The window went into my head. It was really gross."

Jason Statham

Jason Statham is probably our favorite typecast villain in some of the dopest movies of our time. He's been in films like The Italian Job, the Fast & The Furious franchise, The Expendables series, and The Bank Job. From 2002 to 2017, all of the movies he's starred in have raked in a whopping $1.5 billion in revenue. Not to mention, he's established himself as a kung-fu enthusiast, kickboxer, and an avid soccer player all the while performing his own staged combat scenes and stunts.

Also, Statham has established himself as a practicing diver as well which most likely saved his life after the brakes on his truck went out sending his vehicle flying into the ocean where he was forced to escape his truck and swim to safety in his lonesome. Thank the powers that be for Statham's extracurricular activities.

Johnny Depp

Johnny Depp is probably one of the most eclectic actors of our generation and he's definitely got the attention of the ladies over the past couple of decades. Depp has starred in feature films like Edward Scissorhands, Sleepy Hollow, and the star of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. Not to mention, he's also been nominated for three Best Actor Academy Awards and is rick as f***.

Back in 2011, Johnny Depp almost lost his life alongside director, Bruce Robinson, when the two were flying side-by-side in a small plane when the engines suddenly died. Luckily, the engines were reactivated and the two were able to land safely. This is what Depp had to say about the close call, "The sound of the engines stopped. There was silence. Bruce and I were looking at each other and I think I said, 'Is this it?' It was like this weird extended moment when you're just floating for a second, and you could feel this unpleasant descent."

Charlize Theron

Charlize Theron's rise to prominence has come in the form of several blockbuster hits throughout the '90s including Mighty Joe Young, The Devil's Advocate, and The Cider House Rules which has led to leads in movies like Snow White and the Huntsman, Mad Max: Fury Road, The Fate of the Furious, and most recently Atomic Blonde. At the age of 42, she's still quite the sight to see in our humblest of opinions.

We almost lost Charlize Theron during the filming of ?on Flux when she broke her neck while performing a backflip. We're not sure whose idea it was for Theron to be performing her own stunts but with the movie being out of production for eight weeks waiting for Theron to heal up, we're sure some heads had to roll for the mishap that almost killed the amazing actress.

Gerard Butler

Gerard Butler is a face we've gotten used to seeing on the silver screen over the past three decades as the Scottish actor has been a part of some box office hits like starring in films like Dracula 2000, The Phantom of the Opera, the 2003 rendition of Tomb Raider alongside Angelina Jolie, and the role of King Leonidas in 300 that earned him international recognition. Gerard's always been pretty bad a** if you ask us.

Unfortunately, in 2011, a surfing incident on the set of the film, Chasing Mavericks, almost caused the actor to drown which sent him into a whirlwind of painkillers and prescription drug abuse. Butler later went on to check himself into rehab in order to shake his habit of painkiller addiction. Luckily, he's doing better than ever these days and still landing some major movie roles.

Jackie Chan

As a youth, a lot of us probably argued who was the better fighter between Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee which will never be determined in reality but it definitely makes for a good debate/barbershop talk. Jackie Chan has starred in a plethora of films that he's personally written while he's been able to master his comedic timing and acrobatic martial arts fighting style, in which he performs his own stunts in.

What many don't know is that Chan's determination to do his own stunts almost cost him his life as he was on the set of his film, Armour of God, where he missed his landing point jumping into a tree, plummeting to the ground, and smashing his head. Chan almost died at the scene but rushed to a local medical facility where his life was saved and now has a permanent plastic plate in his head.

Tracy Morgan

Tracy Morgan has had one of the best resurgences in the limelight we've seen in recent history. Morgan is most notably known for his role as Tracy Jordan in Tina Fey's hit television show known as 30 Rock. His crazy antics and personality made him a fan favorite on the show while his comedy career skyrocketed into the mainstream and he's never compromised who was in order to please viewers and comedy critics.

Sadly, Tracy almost lost in a freak accident in a six-car collision involving a Walmart 18-wheeler. He remained in a coma for quite some time and had to learn how to communicate and use his motor functions all over again. Unfortunately, Tracy lost a close friend in the accident and has publicly spoken about his loss and how grateful he is to be alive with his wife and children.

Leonardo DiCaprio

Leonardo DiCaprio is one of the most prominent A-list celebrities and actors on the face of the planet. It was only the beginning for him as he played a mentally challenged child in What's Eating Gilbert Grape but since then he's gone to star in some of the greatest feature films of our generation in Titanic, The Revenant, and The Wolf of Wall Street.

But, we almost lost him, yep it's true ladies, the heartthrob known as Leonardo DiCaprio could have been worm food but luckily he's escaped death to provide us with top-notch on-screen entertainment. While in South Africa, Leo went shark diving but after a strong wave allowed a great white shark to enter halfway into the cage, he was only an arm's length away from being eaten alive.

Leo also, stared death in the face while skydiving. Both parachutes were too tangled to release but luckily, his diving companion was able to get a chute open in time for the two to survive but the two still suffered injury as they could have broken their legs but barrel rolled to safety causing the two to get banged up.

Travis Barker

Travis Barker is definitely one of this generation's most well-known drummer alongside The Roots' drummer, Questlove, and has had one best runs in pop-punk history with the west coast-based band, Blink-182. Now, Travis Barker has made quite the name for himself in the hip-hop realm and continues to crank out some pretty dope musical content to this very day.

In 2008, Travis Barker and his friend and music collaborative partner in DJ AM were involved in a plane crash where they were the only two to survive. Travis had a total of sixteen surgeries following the crash and spent more than eleven weeks in the hospital. Sadly, DJ AM died a year later via an overdose. Barker spoke on the events that occurred saying, "I opened a door, and my hands caught fire. I ran to get out of the plane, but I fell through a wing. I immediately soaked up with jet fuel and caught fire. And then I was on fire, running like hell. I was running for my family: I didn't care about anything except being with my dad, my sister, Shanna, my three kids. I'm completely naked, holding my genitals - everything else is on fire - and I'm running, trying to put myself out." Rest in power to DJ AM.

Hugh Hefner

Hugh Hefner might be the only person on this list that is no longer with us due to health complications at the age of 91-years-old. But if anyone on this planet has lived the life of a true, playboy, it was Hugh Hefner himself who was the founder and editor-in-chief of the Playboy magazine franchise. The Playboy mansion in which he resided has become a historical landmark for some of the craziest celebrity parties and events to take place in Los Angeles.

What people don't know about the Playboy founder is that he almost lost his life in only one way you could imagine a man of his stature would. While getting it on, Hefner almost died choking on a sex toy. That's right... a sex toy. Hugh Hef spoke about his near-death experience stating the following, "What is the closest I've come to death? There was a moment when I was having sex with four Playmates and I almost swallowed a Ben Wa ball."

Joaquin Phoenix

Joaquin Phoenix is definitely one of the most diverse actors we've seen in quite some time. He killed his role in Gladiator as the antagonist, Commodus, in Gladiator, he portrayed Johnny Cash in the biopic, Walk The Line, and starred in the World War II film, The Master, where he played a sex-obsessed alcoholic all of which earned him Academy Awards.

Unfortunately, Phoenix was involved in a car accident that almost killed him when his brakes failed causing his car to flip and strike another car. Luckily, director, Werner Herzog lived close by. This is what Phoenix had to say about his near-death experience, "I remember this knocking on the passenger window. There was this German voice saying, 'Just relax.' There's the airbag, I can't see, and I'm saying, 'I'm fine.' I am relaxed. Finally, I roll down the window, and this head pops inside. And he said, 'No, you're not.' And suddenly I said to myself, 'That's Werner Herzog' There's something so calming and beautiful about Werner Herzog's voice. I felt completely fine and safe. I climbed out. I got out of the car and I said, 'Thank you,' and he was gone."

George Lucas

George Lucas is worth a whopping $5.1 billion and that's for a good reason, after all, Lucas is responsible for the Star Wars franchise which has earned him the opportunity to create a conglomerate of films as well as a multitude of Academy Awards and accolades. George Lucas is also the curator of the Indiana Jones franchise alongside Steven Spielberg which some would say was ruined by the 2008 sequel known as The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull but, that's up for debate.

We could have potentially lost the filmmaker and all of these legendary film ideas would have gone down the drain when Lucas was hospitalized for over two weeks after a car accident when he was in high school. Lucas was close to death but was able to miraculously recover and become one of the greatest filmmakers of our generation.

Elizabeth Taylor

Elizabeth Taylor is another entry on the list who is no longer with us after passing away in 2011 at the age of 79 but has escaped death on multiple occasions. Taylor is probably one of the most respected public figures in the celebrity community after she began her acting career as a child actress in the 1940s. She continued her successful career throughout the '60s and has remained treasured by the general public up to this very day.

Taylor escaped death while undergoing surgery in the 1950s and was pronounced dead while on the operating table. Miraculously, she was able to be revived and survived her surgery experience. In the same decade, in 1958, Taylor beat death by not bordering a plane due to falling ill but lost her third husband, Mike Todd, and three other affiliates that were onboard.

Paris-Michael Katherine Jackson

Paris Jackson has one of the strangest conception stories that still confuse the masses to this very day. It's known for a fact that the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, is her father and his only daughter but her godfather in Mark Lester has claimed in the past that he is her biological father in the past. Regardless, she's grown up pretty sheltered and a mystery to the general public up until recently.

Unfortunately, after the passing of her father in 2009, Paris had trouble finding her own identity in the world and struggled while growing up. So much that in 2013, Paris attempted to commit suicide by taking a large number of pills and cutting herself with a knife. She was rushed to a local medical facility where she remained on suicide watch. Last year, Paris revealed that she attempted suicide multiple times in the past but, no longer feels the urge to self-harm.

Peter Sellers

Peter Sellers might be a public figure that was before your time but, he definitely has one of the craziest stories on this particular list. Sellers was known as a triple threat, he was a comedian, actor, and singer that starred on BBC radio comedy series, The Goon Show. Sellers was able to display his versatility in films like Casino Royale, The Party, What's New Pussycat?, and five of the Pink Panther films throughout the '60s and '70s.

In 1964, Sellers suffered from a total of eight heart attacks following a night of taking amyl nitrate, all of which he miraculously survived. Later in 1977, Peter Sellers suffered another heart attack and survived once again. But at the tender age of just 55-years-old, Sellers passed away in 1980 from his final heart attack. He might not be alive today but who do you know has survived almost ten heart attacks?

Kathy Griffin

Kathy Griffin has been one of the most controversial comedians of our generation and has released several cable television comedy specials as well as a plethora of comedy albums that have done well on the market. Griffin is just now getting her groove back as she's made her return to the limelight after her distasteful beheaded Donald Trump photo that shook up the internet and the general media some time ago.

Sadly, we almost lost the comedian/television personality while she was under the knife for a cosmetic elective liposuction surgery. Griffin went unresponsive and was technically considered dead for quite some time before being revived by the doctors present on the operating table. Anything for good looks though, right? We're glad, Griffin didn't pass away and she's getting her career back on the right track.

Anne Hathaway

Anne Hathaway is definitely rolling in beaucoup bucks starring in major motion films like The Dark Knight Rises, Brokeback Mountain, Interstellar, and Alice In Wonderland, while the beginning of her career consisted of films like The Princess Diaries, The Devil Wears Prada, and Bride Wars. Also, not to mention, she's definitely one of the hottest stars in the celebrity realm as well.

Crazily, in 2014, Anne almost was dragged out to sea while on vacation in Hawaii after an insanely intense riptide whisked her into the depths of the ocean but, luckily a local surfer in the surrounding area in the ocean was able to pull her to shore, saving her life. We're pretty sure, Hathaway and this particular surfer probably stay in contact to this very day. Who wouldn't especially if they saved your life.

Gloria Estefan

Gloria Estefan's name might not be the first to come to mind in regards to successful female music artists but, she's one of the best selling artists of all time. Estefan has sold over 100 million records worldwide including an insane 31.5 million in the United States alone, making her the second most selling Latin American artist in the States behind Shakira. So, if you want to talk about international hits and popular music, Gloria Estefan is the one to ask.

Unfortunately, in 1991, during a snowstorm, while she on tour, her bus was struck by a semi-truck after she had just left from meeting President George Bush Sr. The accident had ultimately broken her back forcing her to cancel the remainder of her tour. Luckily, a year later she was able to step back into the limelight and continue her illustrious music career.

Seth MacFarlane

Seth MacFarlane might be known for the greatness and hilarity that is Family Guy, The Cleveland Show, Ted 1 and 2 but, what many don't know about the writer and creator is that he worked on several Cartoon Network shows as an animator for the likes of Johnny Bravo, Cow & Chicken, Dexter's Laboratory, and more. And if you think it's all sh**s and giggles with MacFarlane, guess again, because he executive produced Neil deGrasse Tyson's, Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey as well.

What many don't know is that MacFarlane was supposed to board one of the planes that hit the Twin Towers on September 11th but, was hungover and received the wrong departure time. He showed up ten minutes too late as the plane hit the runway and was used as a weapon for one of the worst terrorist attacks we've seen on American soil. This what MacFarlane had to say about his near-death experience, "The only reason it hasn't really affected me as it maybe could have is: I didn't really know that I was in any danger until after it was over, so I never had that panic moment. After the fact, it was sobering, but people have a lot of close calls. You're crossing the street, and you almost get hit by a car... This one just happened to be related to something massive. I really can't let it affect me because I'm a comedy writer. I have to put that in the back of my head."

Larry Hagman

Many of you might recognize these devilishly handsome gentleman from the critically acclaimed soap opera, Dallas, where he played the role of a ruthless oil baron, J.R. Ewing. Larry Hagman also was a big part of the 1960s television sitcom I Dream of Jeannie and afterward became a huge supporting character in a number of other shows as well. Larry Hagman might not be with us today due to complications of acute myeloid leukemia, which took his life in 2012 but he's survived other close calls as well.

Back in 1995, Larry Hagman was on his deathbed due to liver failure after being diagnosed with liver cancer. Luckily, Hagman was able to receive a liver transplant right in the nick of time-saving him from certain death. His legacy in the acting realm will forever live on even though he is no longer with us. Rest in power.

Tom Green

Tom Green is known for his quirky personality and crazy antics which later led to him hitting the silver screen starring in films like Charlie's Angels, Road Trip, Freddy Got Fingered, and Stealing Harvard. At one point in time, Tom Green stood in as a guest on the Late Show with David Letterman which later led to his own MTV late-night television show entitled, The New Tom Green Show which unfortunately didn't last too long on the network.

As we mentioned previously, Tom Green was once married to Drew Barrymore. How? We're not sure either but the two nearly lost their lives when their home caught on fire causing an insane amount of damage. The only reason that the two were able to escape the fire was because of their dog who woke them up in the middle of the night to warn them about the engulfing flames.

Nikki Sixx

Nikki Sixx is amongst some of the greats in regards to the rock and roll genre as he was the bassist, a founding member, and writer in the band Motley Crue. Sixx wasn't only responsible for cranking out hits with his Motley Crue bandmates, he also co-wrote and/or produced music for bands like Meat Loaf, Drowning Pool, and the Sex Pistol's guitarist, Steve Jones. He's also written an autobiography centered around his struggles with drugs which ultimately almost took his life.

Nikki Sixx was actually declared dead for two minutes in 1987 after he overdosed on heroin. He claimed to have an out-of-body experience while technically dead but luckily, he was able to be resuscitated and has since then kicked his drug habit and is sober at the age of 57. The rock and roll legend continues to live on.

Diane Kruger

Diane Kruger has starred in films like Troy, National Treasure alongside its sequel, Unknown, as well as the FX crime drama television series, The Bridge. Kruger also won the Best Actress Award at the Cannes Film Festival for her role in the German film, In The Fade, which was also her first German-speaking role as well. Unfortunately, her acting role in Quentin Tarantino's Inglorious Basterds almost cost her life.

Tarantino wanted to achieve filming a realistic choking scene and proceeded to choke Kruger on film until she lost consciousness almost killing her. Tarantino didn't yell cut in time after the scene went too far and Kruger had to be revived on set. That had to be awkward for everyone involved and we're pretty sure the Tarantino/Kruger relationship is forever tainted because of the incident. Yikes.

Ed Begley Jr.

Ed Begley Jr. might be recognized for his work in the film industry but he's definitely become a figure in the environmentalist and political realm as well. Begley Jr. started his illustrious career in the entertainment industry on a small role on the 1967 television show, My Three Sons, and has a ton of film and TV credits under his belt. He's been in more recent films like Batman Forever, The Pagemaster, Pineapple Express, and the 2016 remake of the film, Ghostbusters.

Unfortunately, Ed Begley Jr. almost lost his life after he was jumped and brutally beaten by several teenagers in the notorious city of Compton, California. He was stabbed during the incident and beaten so badly that his lungs collapsed and was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was saved. What we want to know, is what the hell was he doing in Compton?

Michael J. Fox

Michael J. Fox also known as Marty McFly himself rose to prominence during the Back to the Future trilogy. Afterward, Fox went on to become a mega-star in the celebrity community and was also known for his roles on sitcoms like Spin City and Family Ties. Unfortunately, at the tender age of 29-years-old Michael J. Fox was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease and announced his retirement from acting in the year 2000 after his symptoms worsened.

What many don't know is that Fox almost lost his life after a stunt went wrong while filming the third Back to the Future film. Fox had accidentally misplaced his hands and ended up hanging from a noose rendering himself unconscious. No one had noticed that he wasn't acting until he passed out. Luckily, he was resuscitated and has become an advocate for Parkinson's Disease.

Jane Seymour

Jane Seymour is known for roles in movies like the 1973 James Bond film, Live & Let Die, the 1980 film, Somewhere In Time, East of Eden, War and Remembrance and the Wedding Crashers. Not only has Jane Seymour earned an Emmy Award and two Golden Globe Awards, she has also been appointed as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the year 2000. Sadly, she almost didn't get to rack up all of these accolades after a near-death experience.

At the age of 36, Seymour almost died after having an allergic reaction to a penicillin injection. Jane spoke on her experience, saying, "I literally left my body. I had this feeling that I could see myself on the bed, with people grouped around me. I remember them all trying to resuscitate me. I was above them, in the corner of the room looking down. I saw people putting needles in me, trying to hold me down, doing things. I remember my whole life flashing before my eyes, but I wasn't thinking about winning Emmys or anything like that. The only thing I cared about was that I wanted to live because I did not want anyone else looking after my children. I was floating up there thinking, 'No, I don't want to die. I'm not ready to leave my kids.' And that was when I said to God, 'If you're there, God, if you really exist and I survive, I will never take your name in vain again.' Although I believe that I 'died' for about 30 seconds, I can remember pleading with the doctor to bring me back. I was determined I wasn't going to die."

Owen Wilson

Owen Wilson definitely has one of the most distinctively recognizable noses in all of the entertainment as well as quite the hefty acting resume underneath his belt. He's become a household name in the Frat Pack cult classic films that have dropped throughout the past couple of decades like Starsky & Hutch, the Meet The Parents franchise, The Wedding Crashers, as well as kid-friendly movies like the Cars series as well.

Even with all of the success in the world, Wilson was unable to find happiness after he attempted to commit suicide in 2007. He was found covered in blood after slitting his wrists and attempting to overdose on pills in his home by a family member. Luckily, he was able to be saved in time before he bled to death. What would a world be like without Owen Wilson?

Eminem

Eminem is arguably a top-five rapper of all-time. He's defeated the odds of being the white guy in the hip-hop realm by creating good music and content for the entire world to appreciate. He's come a long way from the slums of Detroit to one of the most recognizable faces in music today and he's still making controversial music to this very day. Despite his struggles at the beginning of his life, Eminem is truly hip-hop royalty and respected by the masses.

What a lot of casual Eminem fans might not know is that Eminem almost lost his life via a methadone overdose in 2005. This is what Slim Shady had to say about his overdose experience, "My doctor told me the amount of methadone I'd taken was equivalent to shooting up four bags of heroin. Even when they told me I almost died, it didn't click." Praise the powers that be for keeping Em alive and well.

Sean Kingston

Sean Kingston came on the R&B scene and took the world by storm with his single 'Beautiful Girls' in 2007. Despite being from Miami, Florida his family moved to Kingston, Jamaica where his outlook on life took shape and he developed a passion for music and songwriting. Ever since then, Kingston has been featured on a plethora of hip-hop and R&B tracks and continues to shine on all of his haters to this very day.

While enjoying the fruits of his labor, Kingston came very close to death in a jet ski accident in May of 2011. Sean Kingston smashed his jet ski into a pillar at high speeds and had to be rushed into emergency surgery where doctors discovered he had a torn aorta. Kingston described the incident as feeling a stabbing pain in his chest before he went unconscious in the water off of the coast of Miami. Luckily, he survived the incident and has continued to make music.

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