COVID Nearly Killed One Of The Greatest Actors Of All Time
Al Pacino is safe, everyone. Not to worry. By now, most people have been vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus, allowing the world to move on from the terrifying days of the pandemic lockdowns and enter into a new normal.
Al Pacino Had COVID
While some of us were lucky enough to have mild cases of the deadly virus or dodge catching the cold completely, many others around the globe suffered from truly harrowing symptoms, resulting in over 7 million deaths worldwide, according to the CDC.
Per a recent write-up in The Hollywood Reporter, famed actor Al Pacino was nearly counted among those lost to the virus after having a particularly nasty bout of COVID in 2020.
High Risk
Though Al Pacino has not previously spoken about his experience with the coronavirus until now, he claims that he suffered a near-death experience at the hands of the novel illness back when it first started permeating the globe in 2020.
During a discussion with the New York Times, Pacino explained that he suffered from excessive dehydration and a severe fever, which ultimately required him to hire a nurse to monitor his condition within his home.
The actor, who is 84 years of age today, would have been classified among the highest risk categories for succumbing to COVID during the time when he was testing positive.
Rushed To The Emergency Room
According to the Scarface star, he became so sick that he needed to be rushed to the emergency room and revived by doctors.
As Al Pacino explained in his interview, “I was sitting there in my house, and I was gone. Like that. I didn’t have a pulse. In a matter of minutes they were there — the ambulance in front of my house. I had about six paramedics in that living room, and there were two doctors, and they had these outfits on that looked like they were from outer space or something.”
The outfits that Pacino describes likely refer to the head-to-toe PPE gear that medical staff were required to wear throughout 2020 and beyond as humanity struggled to control the rapidly spreading illness.
Regained Consciousness
Luckily, Al Pacino ultimately regained consciousness and has continued to be in good health ever since. Still, the actor says that the experience changed his outlook on life, death, and aging, especially as he nears his 90s.
The process partially inspired him to write his upcoming memoir, Sonny Boy, which will be released on October 15.
The book will tell the untold true story of Pacino’s early years struggling to make ends meet before achieving A-list status in his 30s with leading roles in films such as The Godfather, Serpico, and Dog Day Afternoon.
Never Retired From Acting
Despite his advanced age, Al Pacino has never formally retired from his screen acting career and currently has no existing plans to do so. In fact, the Irishman lead is as popular in Hollywood as ever, with over half a dozen upcoming projects in various stages of active production listed on his IMDb page.
Clearly, his near-death experience has not left him with any long-term illness, and his snap back into health has been going rather well.
Joking About Death?
Despite the macabre nature of the story, Pacino claims that it brings him great joy to jest that he once “died.”
As a performer, he’s portrayed numerous characters who have lost their lives on the stage and screen, including some of his most prolific credits as Tony Montana, Jimmy Hoffa, and Michael Corleone. Thankfully, Al Pacino’s life was not cut short by the COVID-19 virus, allowing him many more years of excellent work and time to spend with his children.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
