Sharon Stone has opened up about a harrowing near-death experience she faced after a stroke in 2001.
Reflecting on this critical period, which severely impacted her memory and mobility, the actress also shared that she underwent a spiritual encounter, during which she was welcomed by “dear ones who had passed away,” as reported by RadarOnline.com.
Stone, now 68, described her ordeal on CNN Podcasts’ All There Is With Anderson Cooper, noting, “I saw and felt myself being pulled upward into this incredibly bright white. But white doesn’t exactly explain it. This light that is brighter than anything we’ve ever experienced, like moving directly into something bright as the sun, but not yellow.”
She recounted how she started “whooshing upwards” and then saw her deceased loved ones, “particularly dear ones who I had aided in their passing … and I loved so much.”
However, her reunion with them was abruptly interrupted.
“All of a sudden I felt like I’d been kicked in the chest by a mule, you know, just, wow. And I expect they must have defibrillated me,” she remarked.
After regaining consciousness and sitting upright, Stone learned she was being transported to a hospital before losing consciousness again.
Stone also reflected on her mother’s passing and the mixed emotions stemming from their complex relationship.
“It’s okay for me to feel free from my mom, free from her trauma now that she’s gone, and to feel growth from her passing,” she said.
Stone explained that her mother spent her final days living with her, cared for by a dedicated team.
During the day, her mother wouldn’t acknowledge their mother-daughter relationship, prompting Stone to assume the role of a staff member. However, when the caretakers were absent, her vulnerability surfaced.
“When we were alone, she unloaded all the trauma of her childhood that she hadn’t been able to say,” Stone recalled. “And she was terrified to die because she was afraid her parents would be there.”
To comfort her, Stone reassured her that her parents would not be present when she passed away.
The emotional challenge intensified when Stone realized she needed to let go first.
She told Cooper, “My mom was holding on and holding on. And I finally realized, I have to let go. I need to release my mother. I need to stop walking in the room. I need to go upstairs and ignore my mother so she will die. And I need to detach and release. And she’s only going to die if I let go.”
Stone also acknowledged the complex sense of relief following her mother’s death.
“There can be a lot of positive feelings, particularly when you care for someone who’s dying over a long period of time,” she observed. “The caregiver can just be worn to pieces, and the relief a caregiver can feel when that is over is enormous.”
