Warning: this article contains discussion of drug abuse some may find distressing
Former NBA basketball star Lamar Odom has clarified the role his ex-wife Khloé Kardashian played following his near-fatal overdose two decades ago.
Odom, 46, and Kardashian, 41, who were married in September 2009 after just 30 days of dating, officially separated in 2013 and finalized their divorce three years later.
The sportsman was a member of the Los Angeles Lakers at the time of the marriage, with the relationship being rocked by infidelity rumors alongside Odom’s addiction to drugs.
Advert
In 2015, a year before Odom and Kardashian’s divorce was completed, he suffered a near-fatal overdose; an event forming the backbone of his new Netflix documentary, Untold: The Death & Life of Lamar Odom.
Despite their estrangement, Kardashian reportedly spent ‘every day’ with him in the hospital and later rented him a home with a caretaker and a chef to help ‘rehabilitate him’.
“We were determined to get him moving and walking again. He did learn to walk again [at the hospital] and that was really special,” she said.
Following the show’s premiere on March 31, the two-time NBA champion has clarified whether his ex-wife really ‘saved his life’ after he had six heart attacks and 12 strokes while in a three-day coma.
In a new interview with Today with Jenna and Sheinelle, Odom was told by Jenna Bush Hager: “She stood by your side, she saved your life. Do you feel that way?”
In response, the New York native said: “In some ways. God saved my life. My lord saved my life, honestly.”
“Khloe stepped in… and stayed by your side. A lot of us were saying ‘She rode hard for you’,” Sheinelle Jones said.
“Yeah, she took care of me,” admitted Odom. “But God took care of me the most. What I came back from is like a medical miracle.”
In the Untold: The Death & Life of Lamar Odom documentary, Kardashian explained why she once punched her ex-husband.
She said that she stopped by the house she was renting him and could smell crack.
“Okay, I’m gonna f***ing be stealth as possible, and I’m going to see what this guy’s doing.
“I remember slowly tiptoeing up the stairs he was in his bedroom sitting on the edge of the bed smoking crack.”
She went on to explain what she did next, saying: “I just punched him in his face. ‘I just put my life on hold to f****ng take care of you. How did you get this? You don’t have a f****ng phone. You can’t talk’
“Well lo and behold, he had a phone. He was better than I knew.
“He was playing me so I can continue this lifestyle for him.”
Untold: The Death & Life of Lamar Odom is available to stream on Netflix now.
If you want friendly, confidential advice about drugs, you can call American Addiction Centers on (313) 209-9137 24/7, or contact them through their website.
Topics: Celebrity, Khloé Kardashian, Netflix, Film and TV, Drugs, Health
Ella Scott