Jeff Bridges, who was “pretty close to dying” amid health struggles, shared updates about his illness.
The actor, now 74, mentioned that his battle with Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma was a “learning experience” for him. In fact, Bridges revealed that three years ago, he was not only undergoing treatment for cancer, but he also contracted COVID at the same time. With his already compromised immune system, the experiences nearly killed him.
“I had no defenses. That’s what chemo does — it strips you of all your immune system,” he told PEOPLE back in May of 2022. “I had nothing to fight it. COVID made my cancer look like nothing.”
Jeff Bridges Shares Health Update After Nearly Dying 3 Years Ago
Today, thankfully, Bridges shares that he’s in “great” health — despite almost losing his life.
“It’s amazing the way the mind can forget all that stuff,” he told Page Six at the 49th Chaplin Award Gala at Lincoln Center. “I don’t think too much about the past.”
In January 2021, the actor was “pretty close to dying” after catching COVID-19 while still attempting to beat cancer.
“The doctors kept telling me, ‘Jeff, you’ve got to fight. You’re not fighting,'” he revealed to PEOPLE in 2022. “I was ready to go. I was dancing with my mortality.”
Three years later now, he’s doing just fine — to the point where he barely even thinks about those dark moments.
Bridges’s Cancer Diagnosis
Back in October 2020, in the middle of the global COVID-19 pandemic, Bridges announced he was diagnosed with lymphoma. At the time, he posted on Twitter (now X) explaining his diagnosis.
Countless fans shared their love and support, sending him well wishes and comforting words.
Lymphoma is a cancer that affects the lymphatic system, which includes the lymph nodes/glands, spleen, thymus gland, and bone marrow, according to Mayo Clinic. Symptoms include swelling of the lymph nodes (such as in your neck, armpits, or groin), fatigue, fever, night sweats, shortness of breath, excessive or unintended weight loss, and itchy skin.
Thankfully, Bridges went into remission during the autumn of 2021. As noted above, he has since been doing well.