Sharon Stone recalls losing $18 million after 2001 stroke: “everything was in other people’s names”

Sharon Stone reflects on her 2001 stroke with conflicting emotions.

In a recent interview with the Hollywood Reporter released on Tuesday, the actress from "Basic Instinct" shared that she lost $18 million in savings following a nine-day brain bleed caused by a stroke in 2001. 

She attributed this loss to “people taking advantage” of her during her seven-year recovery period when she took a step back from her career in Hollywood.

“I had $18 million saved because of all my success, but when I got back into my bank account, it was all gone. My refrigerator, my phone — everything was in other people’s names,” Stone explained.

“I had zero money.”

The 66-year-old actress further disclosed that her injury completely altered the functioning and thought processes of her brain.

“A Buddhist monk told me that I had been reincarnated into my same body,” Stone said.

“I had a death experience and then they brought me back. I bled into my brain for nine days, so my brain was shoved to the front of my face. It wasn’t positioned in my head where it was before,” the actress added.

“And while that was happening, everything changed,” Stone remembered. “My sense of smell, my sight, my touch. I couldn’t read for a couple of years.”

“Things were stretched and I was seeing color patterns. A lot of people thought I was going to die.”

Having recovered, the star of "Casino" mentioned that she was able to move forward from her financial loss by choosing to “stay present and let go.”

“I decided not to hang onto being sick or to any bitterness or anger. If you bite into the seed of bitterness, it never leaves you. But if you hold faith, even if that faith is the size of a mustard seed, you will survive,” Stone said.

“So, I live for joy now. I live for purpose.”