There are many parts of life where being super rich and famous gives celebrities an advantage. They get free stuff, they have access to glam squads and amazing fashion, they get to travel the world, and if they are really lucky, they get to make a living doing interesting and creative work. But while many parts of celebrity life don't seem relatable at all, there is one thing that all celebs have in common with the rest of us: Nobody lives forever.
While there are celebs who die way too soon (we're still sad about the deaths of Chadwick Boseman and Luke Perry) and celebs who got to live to a ripe old age (RIP to Betty White), there are actually a surprising number of stars who had near-death experiences that fans may not know about.
Some of our favorite celebs have gotten critically injured or sick, but thankfully they lived to tell the story. From shocking accidents (including a terrifying plane crash) to sudden and severe illnesses, these celebs came closer to death's door than anyone would ever want to. Read on for the real scoop on 15 celebs who had near-death experiences but who somehow survived the worst.
Travis Barker
In 2008, Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker survived a deadly private plane crash that killed two pilots, his security guard, and his assistant. He had burns on 65% of his body and didn't fly again until 2021, largely because of serious anxiety due to the understandable trauma of the crash.
Zac Efron
In 2019, Zac Efron was filming a documentary series called, ironically, Killing Zac Efron, when he contracted a potentially deadly bacterial infection and had to be medically evacuated from Papua New Guinea to Australia for hospitalization. Thankfully, he has fully recovered and is back to exploring the world.
Tracy Morgan
In 2014, funnyman Tracy Morgan was a passenger in a limo that was involved in a multicar crash that killed one person and sent several others to the hospital. Tracy was in critical condition with a traumatic brain injury and a severely broken leg following the incident. He ended up spending five months in a wheelchair as his body healed from significant injuries.
Emilia Clarke
Game of Thrones star Emilia Clarke had not one but two brain hemorrhages while filming season one of the popular show. According to an essay she wrote for The New Yorker, the type of stroke she had typically kills one-third of people within a day of it occurring — those are some seriously scary odds! Thankfully, Emilia made a great recovery and was able to keep going as the mother of dragons.
Lamar Odom
Lamar Odom, former NBA player and ex-husband of Khloé Kardashian, came incredibly close to death in 2015 when a drug overdose left him unconscious in a brothel in Nevada. He was airlifted to a hospital in Los Angeles and has reported that he suffered 12 strokes and six heart attacks in the days following the overdose. Though he survived, he still suffers from memory issues as a result.
50 Cent
Rapper 50 Cent was shot nine times at close range in 2000. He spent almost two weeks in the hospital and many months in physical rehabilitation afterward, include needing to use a walker for six weeks due to bullets hitting him in both legs.
Orlando Bloom
Orlando Bloom has played some movie roles that have tested his physical endurance, but perhaps nothing has tested him as much as an incident in 1998 when 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 recounted on Instagram.
Martin Lawrence
Comedian Martin Lawrence learned the dangers of trying to take weight loss to extreme measures in 1999 when he suffered severe heat stroke after jogging in many layers of clothing. He was trying to lose weight for a role but ended up raising his body temperature to 107 degrees, slipping into a coma for three days, and seriously damaging his kidneys. Surely no acting job could be worth all that!
Sharon Stone
Actress Sharon Stone suffered a near fatal stroke in 2001 and has since described having a near-death experience as a result. She even claims to have seen that fabled tunnel of light, something she said was "very beautiful" and "very strange."
Isla Fisher
Although movie sets have safety coordinators and stunt people, there is still a chance that things can go wrong. Isla Fisher was filming an underwater scene for the film Now You See Me when her release chain got stuck in her costume. She was trapped underwater for three minutes before getting it unstuck. So scary!
Harrison Ford
Actor Harrison Ford loves to fly, but that love of flying has also resulted in him having several close calls, including a 2015 crash on a golf course in California. He was piloting a vintage 1942 plane when a mechanical failure led to a crash that resulted in severe injuries that put him in the hospital for weeks.
Tiger Woods
Tiger Woods is one of the best golfers of all time, but he's had several rough years since the scandalous end to his marriage and revelations about his personal life. That difficult streak continued in 2021 when he was seriously injured when his car crashed due to him driving too fast and striking a tree.
Salma Hayek
Actress Salma Hayek has revealed that she nearly died from the COVID-19 virus in 2020. "My doctor begged me to go to the hospital because it was so bad. I said, 'No, thank you. I'd rather die at home.'" Thankfully she recovered, though she said that even a year later she still wasn't back to her original energy level.
Rachel Bilson
Actress Rachel Bilson, perhaps best known for her role on The O.C., was in a near-fatal car crash when she was a teenager. The car she was riding in was speeding and crashed head-on into another car, and Rachel was injured seriously enough that she spent several days in a coma.
Gloria Estefan
The iconic singer Gloria Estefan nearly died as a result of a car crash in 1990 when a semitruck hit her tour bus. Her back was broken in the crash, and doctors warned her that she might never be able to walk again or have more children. Fortunately, she recovered and proved them wrong on both accounts!
