'NCIS' Alum Pauley Perrette Reveals She Suffered a Stroke

By Daniel S. Levine

Former NCIS star Pauley Perrette spoke briefly about suffering a stroke in 2021 for the first time. Perrette, who has continued to share updates on her life with fans on Twitter, said she had a "massive stroke" on Sept. 2, 2021, and is "still here." Perrette famously played Abby Sciuto on NCIS for 15 seasons before leaving in 2018.

"It's 9/2. One year ago I had a massive stroke. Before that, I lost so many beloved family and friends, and daddy, and then Cousin Wayne," Perrette tweeted, referencing the many challenges she has faced in the past year. "Yet still a survivor after this traumatic life I've been given so far... And still so grateful, Still so full of faith, And STILL HERE!" Perrette shared no further details on her medical scare.

Perrette, 53, also included a video, in which she referenced her other past experiences. "Oh my God, it's September 2nd, it's the one-year anniversary since I had a stroke and I'm still here," she told her fans. "Yes, I'm still here again, like how many times do I cheat death?" Perrette said she "almost died from a hair allergy" and noted that she is a survivor of rape and assault.

"I'm just feeling really grateful, especially for all my rescue dogs that are right over there," Perrette said as she pointed off camera. "I'm here. I'm still here. I feel good. Been through a lot in the last two years... things that are harder than having a stroke. But I'm still here and so grateful." Perrette went on to thank her friends and fans for their support.

Perrette starred in over 350 episodes of NCIS during the show's first 15 seasons. She also played Abby Sciuto in crossover episodes with JAG, NCIS: Los Angeles, and NCIS: New Orleans. In 2020, she attempted a comeback with the CBS sitcom Broke, but the show was canceled after just 13 episodes. Since then, she has repeatedly told fans she has retired from acting. "I finally and happily retired! And this is what I was looking forward to," she tweeted in November 2020. "My rules in life now are 'if my [rescue dogs] don't care, it's cool! I only answer to God and animals and plants now. WOOT!!!"

In January, Perrette marked one year since the death of her father, who died at 85 after a battle with COVID-19. "One year ago, my beloved dad died of #Covid," Perrette tweeted on Jan. 20. "His political party told him it was fake and like hundreds of thousands [of] others they killed him with that there were no Vaccines then, just exhausted health care workers, dead bodies all over and me saying goodbye on a nurse's cell phone."

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