In 2020, actress Tatum O’Neal took an almost fatal overdose. Her son was 'waiting' for it to happen.

Tatum O'Neal is an actress most known for memorable roles in Sex and the City and Law and Order, and for being the youngest Oscar winner for her 1973 breakout debut in Paper Moon when she was just 10 years old.

But in the 50 years since Tatum won an Academy Award, her life has been plagued by bouts of drug addiction and abuse. "I was an addict my whole life," she told People in a new profile. "[It's been] pretty much on and off, for the past 30 to 40 years.”

Raised under the Hollywood spotlight by a famous father, Ryan O'Neal, Tatum started using cocaine when she was 15 years old before moving on to heroin following the death of her mother, Joanna Moore, and a dramatic divorce.

Tatum O'Neal in 2014. Image: Getty.

The actress was previously married to tennis legend John McEnroe. Their divorce was messy, leading to a custody battle over their children, Kevin, Sean and Emily.

In May 2020, Tatum's addiction took a near fatal turn when she overdosed, suffered a severe stroke and cardiac arrest, before being induced into a six-week coma. "I almost died," she revealed to People. 

Oldest son Kevin is now 37 years old and spoke to People about his immediate reaction. "It was the phone call we'd always been waiting for," Kevin said. "There were times we didn't think she was going to survive." 

O'Neal overdosed on a mix of prescription medications, including pain medication, opiates and morphine. One of the actress' friends took her to hospital after finding her in her apartment. At the time, Kevin said that his mum had become "very isolated" due to the COVID pandemic and the chronic pain she was suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. 

"It was getting scary. COVID, chronic pain, all these things led to a place of isolation. In that place, I don't think, for her, there was much hope.”

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While staying in hospital, due to the damage to her right frontal cortex, the Oscar-winner was diagnosed with aphasia, a language disorder that's caused by damage to the language centre of the brain.

When she came out of the coma, she couldn't speak or communicate. "At times, it was touch and go,” Kevin said. “I had to call my brother and sister and say she was thought to be blind, deaf and potentially might never speak again."

Since the overdose, the 59-year-old actress has spent the last three years in rehab and regular therapy in an effort to regain her ability to read and write, her physical strength, and improve her memory.

 Tatum was lucky to regain her memory and her vocabulary has since improved, but Kevin still has some concerns. “Emotionally the things that made my mum want to take drugs in the first place, those things are still very present.”

The actress wants to stay sober for her three kids. “I’ve been trying to get sober my whole life,” O’Neal said. “Every day, I am trying.”

Three years on since his mum's overdose, Kevin has high hopes for what the future will bring. “So to me this last chapter where she wants to live, wants to get sober, wants to learn, I think it's a miracle. I think it's beautiful," he said.

"I've never been more proud to be her son. She's full of love and full of heart.” 

Feature image: HBO + Getty.