Al Pacino Recounts Near Death Experience During Health Scare: 'Didn't Have a Pulse'

'It was no more. You're gone,' Pacino said.

By Ashley Turner

Legendary actor Al Pacino has revealed a harrowing encounter with mortality during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. The 84-year-old star, in advance of his forthcoming memoir Sonny Boy, shared details of a life-threatening bout with the virus that left him momentarily without vital signs.

In an interview with The New York Times, Pacino described the onset of his illness, which occurred before vaccines were available. "So, I got someone to get me a nurse to hydrate me. I was sitting there in my house, and I was gone. Like that. I didn't have a pulse," he recounted.

The severity of his condition prompted an immediate emergency response. Pacino recalled the surreal scene that greeted him upon regaining consciousness: "In a matter of minutes they were there — the ambulance in front of my house. I had about six paramedics in that living room, and there were two doctors, and they had these outfits on that looked like they were from outer space or something. "Pacino admitted the experience was "shocking," adding, "Everybody was around me, and they said: 'He's back. He's here.'"

The Oscar-winning actor's brush with death left a lasting impression. When asked about any metaphysical experiences during his unconscious state, Pacino offered a somber reflection. "There's nothing there. As Hamlet says, 'To be or not to be'; 'The undiscovered country from whose bourn, no traveler returns.' And he says two words: 'No more,'" he mused, adding, "It was no more. You're gone. I'd never thought about it in my life. But you know actors: It sounds good to say I died once. What is it when there's no more?"

In a separate conversation with People magazine, Pacino elaborated on the surreal nature of his experience. "I thought I experienced death. I might not have. I don't think I have, really. I know I made it," he stated. The actor expressed bewilderment at the rapid response to his condition, questioning, "How could I be dead? If I was dead, I fainted. And when I opened my eyes, there were six paramedics in my living room. There was an ambulance outside the door, and two of my doctors in those space suits [like] on Mars. I looked around and I thought, 'What happened to me?'"

Pacino credited his assistant, Michael Quinn, for the swift action that potentially saved his life. "He got the people coming, because the nurse that was taking care of me said, 'I don't feel a pulse on this guy,'" the actor recalled.

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The Scarface star's encounter with mortality has led to introspection about life and legacy. He noted that his perspective on death has evolved with age, finding solace in his children and the enduring impact of his work. "It's natural, I guess, to have a different view of death as you get older," Pacino reflected to The Hollywood Reporter. "It's just the way it is. I didn't ask for it. Just comes, like a lot of things just come."

Despite the gravity of his experience, Pacino maintains that it hasn't fundamentally altered his approach to life. When asked by People if the health scare changed his lifestyle, he responded, "Not at all." 

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