Bob Odenkirk says his ‘Better Call Saul’ co-stars saved his life when he had a near-fatal heart attack on set.
Bob Odenkirk says his ‘Better Call Saul’ co-stars saved his life when he had a near-fatal heart attack on set
The 59-year-old added he is only breathing as fellow actors Rhea Seehorn, 50 – who plays his long-suffering girlfriend on the show – and 57-year-old Patrick Fabian – who portrays one of his legal nemeses – grabbed him before he struck the ground when he had a cardiac arrest in New Mexico in July 2021.
Bob told Entertainment Tonight on the red carpet of Monday’s (12.09.22) 74th Primetime Emmy Awards: “The reason I’m here is because my castmates were standing right there and they sort of grabbed me before I hit the ground.
“I kind of went down on a knee. And then Rhea ran over and grabbed my head and Patrick grabbed my hand. They were yelling, ‘Stay with us’, and yelling to get someone.
“But then the people who showed up were really good at CPR. So, if you haven’t brushed up on your CPR, do it.”
Bob added getting into better shape also played a part in his survival.
He said: “The truth is one of the reasons that I survived that heart attack was because I was in such good shape.
“And my heart had sort of larger veins. And the CPR kept it alive because of the ability to take in oxygen.”
When asked if he has a new outlook on life after the scare, Bob said: “Yes, I do. I don’t know how you can go through that experience and not sort of look at your life... I’ll tell you, I didn’t have a light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel moment, which I wished I had. I feel like I got a little ripped off.”
Bob told earlier this year how medics used an automated defibrillator to correct his pulse, taking three shocks to kickstart his heart.
He also admitted he has no memory of having the heart attack, adding: “You can’t help but think about it a fair amount.
“And even though I don’t remember the experience of it, all the reaction that I got from the public and my friends, it all affected me. And it still will and it continues to.”
Bob, who has two children with his wife of 25 years Naomi Yomtov, 48, told fans last July he would be “taking a beat” to recover from the heart attack.
He tweeted at the time: “Hi. It's Bob. Thank you. To my family and friends who have surrounded me this week.
“And for the outpouring of love from everyone who expressed concern and care for me. It’s overwhelming. But I feel the love and it means so much.
“I had a small heart attack. But I'm going to be ok thanks to Rosa Estrada and the doctors who knew how to fix the blockage without surgery... I'm going to take a beat to recover but I'll be back soon.”
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