Wendy Williams Was Reportedly ‘At Death’s Door’ in 2020 Before Friends Intervened

Wendy Williams reportedly faced death in 2020 after her alcohol addiction worsened. According to Page Six, multiple sources said Williams’ issues escalated in May 2020 when friends, including DJ Boof, discovered her “catatonic” at her New York apartment. Former manager Bernie Young allegedly refused to call 911 for fear of public disclosure. “I don’t think he understood the extent of what was going on, and I don’t think he wanted it to get out that she was not well, and he definitely didn’t want a 911 call like [what] happened a year later,” an eyewitness and longtime friend of Williams told Page Six.

The source said the former daytime talk show host’s apartment in New York City was in shambles due to addiction and health issues. “It was pretty much a mess. It was a mess,” the insider said. “She was in her robe, it was soiled, she was catatonic, she was in a very, very bad state. She was looking at the ceiling. She was just not responsive, but her eyes were open, but she was definitely in a catatonic state.” The source also reported uncovering “a case of alcohol, open wine bottles, and Ketel One,” adding “We started clearing out a lot of liquor.”

The informant claimed they and Boof urged Young to call paramedics or Williams’ former sober team, which Ron Clinton led, to get assistance. To keep the radio personality hydrated during this time, the source and Boof said they fed ice chips to her. “She’s going to die. She literally couldn’t stand up,” the insider explained. “She was just lying on top of the covers, and she needed 911 help, and [Young’s] like, ‘We’re not getting 911.’”

Williams’ ex-husband, Kevin Hunter, and son, Kevin Hunter Jr., eventually phoned her and pleaded with her to seek help. “Kevin and Kevin Jr. were both saying, ‘Please, come on, Mom. Let [Ron and his team] come up,’” the source recounted. “‘Get some help.’” Page Six wrote that Kevin Sr. confirmed the previously reported incidents involving him and his son.

Several sources confirmed to the outlet that Boof drove Williams to the hospital, where she received two blood transfusions because she was “so low on iron.” She was under medical observation for four or five days and had no memory of what had occurred. “Boof was the savior of her f– life,” a second insider said, noting that he returned to her apartment to dispose of the alcohol after dropping her off. “She was really, in my opinion, at death’s door,” the first eyewitness said. “If we were not there that day, she would not be here. She would not have made it. If it weren’t for Kevin and Ron Clinton and his team, she wouldn’t have made it.”

In a statement to Page Six, Williams’ publicist, Shawn Zanotti, said, “The focus is not on anything from her past. The only focus we have at this time is for Wendy to continue to strive at getting better and moving forward. “Right now she is healing and working on the second part to her documentary and her podcast, she has several things that are demanding her attention right now and past gossip is not one of them.” Williams’ health and wellness have continued to fluctuate as she recovered from the traumatic event. At the start of her titular talk show’s final season, the celebrity gossip icon relocated to Florida to be near her son and receive treatment at a wellness center.

Despite her progress, she recently reentered a rehabilitation facility to address her addiction problems. “It’s gotten worse,” a separate source told Page Six. “She went from wine to straight-up vodka.” The outlet reported on Sept. 16 that Williams’ manager, Will Selby, said she was “sounding better and better every day.” He said, “Her vitality and motivation is at an all-time high considering what she is going through. All she talks about is her upcoming projects with The Wendy Williams Experience and her new documentary slated to come in 2023.”