Coming clean. Lamar Odom opened up about the night of his overdose in an interview for The Doctors, as seen in a new preview on Friday, December 16. Watch his emotional message in the clip above.
The former NBA star, 37 — who recently reached a divorce settlement with ex-wife Khloé Kardashian — spoke to Dr. Travis Stork about the near-fatal incident that took place at a Nevada brothel in October 2015. Asked what he remembers about that night, Odom replied, “Being in that damn brothel and thinking I was going to just rest a little bit. I wasn’t in a good place mentally before that incident happened. Me and my wife at the time were going through some things. I was in a dark place.”
However, the athlete believes he survived the health scare so that he can share his story with others. “I guess they say everything happens for a reason. I guess the reason is I’m here,” he continued. “I can tell the story.”
As previously reported, the overdose left Odom in a coma for several days. During those days, Kardashian, 32, stuck by the former Los Angeles Lakers forward’s side.
“I didn’t know until Khloé told me that I was in a coma,” Odom recalled to Stork. “I couldn’t even speak at the time. I couldn’t talk. Nothing would come out of my mouth, so I was scared.”
The Keeping Up With the Kardashians star originally filed for divorce from Odom in December 2013 but withdrew the papers to serve as his caretaker while he recuperated. Back in May, the Strong Looks Better Naked author filed for divorce a second time after Odom made a full recovery, in part at a rental house near her home in Calabasas, California.
Earlier this week, the sports vet checked himself into a San Diego rehab center. “Lamar Odom has checked into rehab,” his rep exclusively told Us in a statement Thursday, December 15. “After consulting with his family and friends, and meeting with Dr. Travis Stork of The Doctors, he has decided it is best he take time to focus on himself. He is dedicated to leading a healthy lifestyle and being the best father he can be to his children. Lamar asks that the public please respect his privacy at this time and truly appreciates the love and support of his family, friends and fans. He will talk about his journey in January on The Doctors.”
A source previously told Us that Odom did not relapse, but wants to “continue making sure he stays sober and on the right path. It was something he chose to do.” The insider added that the dad of three — who he shares with ex Liza Morales — “did it for his kids.”
Another source told Us that he will star in his own forthcoming reality show, documenting his road to recovery. Watch Odom talk about his overdose in the video above.
