Lamar Odom is reflecting on the few details he actually remembers from his near-fatal overdose in 2015.
During an appearance on The Kyle & Jackie O Show on Monday, Jan. 20, the former NBA star, 45, recalled overcoming his struggle with addiction and how one drink led to his hospitalization.
“I do remember, but I don’t really remember because I was in a coma,” he began.
“I remember being upset that I didn’t have any cocaine to take to the brothel. I had just signed the divorce papers and I thought I was just gonna go all the way in,” he said, referring to his split from ex-wife Khloé Kardashian.
Odom explained that he put a certain amount of money onto his credit card, hoping to “keep this a secret.” He recalled “having a drink and then waking up three days later with it all over the news.”
The basketball player said he didn’t take any drugs himself but when he woke up in the hospital, he was informed that he did have drugs in his system.
“I don’t know what they were able to slip into my drink or what,” he added. “When I woke up, I couldn’t walk or talk. So it took you know, it took some months of rehabilitation and a lot of prayers, a lot of determination.”
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
“Now my mission is probably to help people who have the same problem who couldn’t help themselves be able to understand addiction and understand that it’s a brain disease,” he said. “It’s important for people to really understand and educate themselves.”
Jackie O then asked if Odom used the near-fatal overdose as an opportunity for growth.
“Yeah,” he replied. “You have nothing to do after you beat your death.”
On Oct. 13, 2015, Odom was rushed to the hospital after he was found unconscious in a Nevada brothel with “cocaine and opiates” discovered in his system.
Kardashian remained by his bedside until Odom woke up from the coma four days later.
Looking back, the former Los Angeles Lakers star realized just how lucky he was to be alive.
“All my doctors that see me say I’m a walking miracle. I had 12 strokes and six heart attacks when I was in a coma,” he said during an interview with Kevin Hart in 2018. “Every day, I’m alive. It’s much better than the alternative.”
Read the full article here