Sharon Stone is reflecting on her 2001 stroke with mixed emotions as the medical scare led to personal and financial struggles. During an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the actress revealed that she lost $18 million in savings due to being exploited by people who took advantage of her vulnerability during her seven-year recovery.
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The 66-year-old actress recalled the severe impact the stroke had on her brain function and cognition following a nine-day brain bleed. Stone said she had a near-death experience, and her brain was “shoved” to the front of her face and wasn’t positioned correctly due to the brain bleed. Additionally, the stroke altered her sensory perception and cognitive abilities: “My sense of smell, my sight, my touch. I couldn’t read for a couple of years. Things were stretched, and I was seeing color patterns. A lot of people thought I was going to die.”
During her seven-year recovery, Stone learned that she lost everything financially as $18 million was drained from her bank account. “I had $18 million saved because of all my success, but when I got back into my bank account, it was all gone. My refrigerator, my phone — everything was in other people’s names. I had zero money,” she explained. However, the challenging experience taught her to let go of bitterness and anger and move forward from her struggles.
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“If you bite into the seed of bitterness, it never leaves you. But if you hold faith, even if that faith is the size of a mustard seed, you will survive.”
Stone added that the experience has taught her to live for joy and live for a purpose instead of holding on to the past.