Freakier Friday star Chad Michael Murray has recalled the moment he feared he would die as he was ‘in and out of consciousness’ after his internal organs became twisted
Chad Michael Murray has recounted overhearing plans to have his last rites read to him during a near death experience. The 43-year-old heartthrob has credited a blood transfusion for helping save his life when he was a teenager.
Chad, known for his roles in hit shows including One Tree Hill, Gilmore Girls, and Dawson’s Creek and big screen hits including the Freaky Friday film series. However, the actor came close to never having his successful future when he was just 15 as he endured a life-threatening health crisis.
In a new podcast interview, Chad has cast his mind back to an incident where he was rushed to hospital after his intestines became twisted. He did not reveal exactly what medical condition he battled – but shared agonising details of his treatment. It comes after Taylor Swift sparks engagement rumours as fans spot Travis Kelce’s lock screen
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And while doctors battled to save his life, he has recalled overhearing his parents planning his funeral. The star explained: “I was hospitalized for two and a half months. It was a lot,” he began – adding he was “in and out of consciousness” during his treatment.
He continued: “We had surgery. I had internal bleeding, I lost 50% of my blood. I was on my deathbed,” the actor shared, revealing that his family even called in a priest to give him his last rites at one point.”
Sharing more details with the Great Company podcast, he went on: “I just remember seeing my father, the weakest I’d ever seen him, and a priest at the end of my bed. They’re talking about last rites and all that stuff, and [the nurse, Sandy] gave me a blood transfusion to save my life.”
The star then underwent further surgery to help repair his internal organs. He said: “Regardless, you’re in there for two months and, you know, my organs shut down because you have blood all coagulated around them, and they had to wait till everything [healed more].
“So, anyway, I had to have a second surgery to clean everything up.”
Chad recounted that his route to stardom began following this incident as a nurse, named Alana, encouraged him to take up modelling. He recalled: “Alana says to me, ‘Oh gosh, you should model.’
“I was like, ‘I don’t want to model. I want to be an actor. Like, I love film and television. I want to give this gift to other people.’ And she’s like, ‘Well, you can segue from modelling into acting. Look, when you get out, I’m hooking you up with this modelling company I know.’ And she meant it.”
After finally leaving hospital, Chad recalls being horrified by his appearance as he had lost so much weight after falling ill.
He recalled: “I got out. I went from, like, 180 to 118 pounds. I was a skeleton when I got out. I remember looking in the mirror the first time going, ‘Who is that?’ Like, I cried. I couldn’t believe that I was looking back at that guy.”
His brush with death also led him to embrace his faith in a whole new way – and he also grew closer to his father, who was raising him and his siblings as a single parent.
Chad told podcast host Jamie Laing: “I started my relationship with God, and my relationship with my father became really close. My dad [was] raising five kids on his own [and] came to the hospital every single day, and he spent countless nights with me when he had four more kids at home.”
“The man is tough as nails, and he did that for us. I’m beyond grateful. That’s when our relationship really bonded,” Murray added.
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