‘Real Housewives’ Star in Tears as She Details Near-Fatal Health Scare

Heavy/Bravo A "Real Housewives" star suffered a terrifying medical scare.

Vicki Gunvalson got emotional talking about a major health scare she endured.

During the August 26, 2024 episode of her show “My Friend, My Soulmate, My Podcast,”  the “Real Housewives of Orange County” star revealed she was rushed to the hospital in August 2024 after suffering stroke-like symptoms. Gunvalson, 62, was later diagnosed with pneumonia that turned into sepsis.  She revealed that she nearly died from the illness.

According to The Mayo Clinic, sepsis can cause organs to work improperly after an infection and can progress to septic shock.

Gunvalson broke down in tears on her podcast as she recounted the harrowing medical scare with her boyfriend Michael Smith by her side. The OC OG also credited Smith’s daughter for saving her life.

Vicki Gunvalson Was Misdiagnosed & Sent Home From the Hospital

Speaking on her podcast to co-host Christian Gray Snow, Gunvalson shared details on the near-deadly health crisis that occurred in early August. She told listeners that she lost her memory and began “talking gibberish” to a client who was coming into her office.

“I wrote an email out and the email didn’t make sense,” she said, before revealing that the client was a retired ER physician who picked up on the fact that something was wrong. The retired doctor contacted Smith’s daughter Olivia to suggest Gunvalson may have had a stroke. Olivia then took her to the hospital as her father was out of town.

Gunvalson shared that she was misdiagnosed with a sinus infection and was discharged that night and given antibiotics.

Smith still returned home after his daughter called him. He came home to find Gunvalson lethargic while in a bubble bath. “I walk in, and she’s pretty much passed out,” he said of the terrifying situation. “I grabbed her, pulled her out of the water, put her in bed. The doctor said she just needed to sleep, so I put her in bed, and she slept literally 13, 14 hours straight.”

Gunvalson was disoriented after waking. Upon a return trip to the hospital it was discovered that she had pneumonia that turned to sepsis.  Gunvalson was overcome with emotion as she recalled her neurologist telling her she only had a 10 to 20 percent chance of survival from the illness that attacked her brain and body.

“I had a guardian angel, Olivia,” she said. “Me being home alone, I would have drowned, like a Whitney Houston thing. There was just a litany of things that could have happened and gone wrong, and didn’t,” the RHOC star added.

Gunvalson also shared that she has cried a lot since the near-death experience. Her boyfriend of two years told fans that she is recovering and will be fine.

Vicki Gunvalson Refused to Slow Down While Filming RHOC

PeacockVicki Gunvalson.

While filming RHOC season 18 in early 2024, Gunvalson revealed that she was too busy to worry about her health. In the RHOC episode “Not My Cup of Tee,” Gunvalson told co-star Shannon Beador that she was in the hospital but checked herself out.

“We have so much to catch up on. I have a staph infection,” Gunvalson told Beador. “The doctor didn’t want me to leave the hospital, but I checked myself out because I’m very, very busy.”

After Gunvalson talked about “yellow pus” coming out of her, a stunned Beador said, “God’s way of telling you to slow down.”

“Oh no, I’m going full speed,” Gunvalson said. In a confessional she added, “I don’t want to be slowing down because then you’re sedentary. The grass is going to grow around you and you’re not going to be able to see through it.”

“I like being busy. I’m a type-A girl. I have enough money to retire if I wanted to, but what would I do?”