In a rare update, Tim Curry has reflected on his 2012 stroke and credited a masseuse for saving his life.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show star, 79, was left partially paralysed on one side after collapsing in his home while he was having a massage.
‘I did not fade to black. I did not even feel out of sorts, or like something was very wrong. In fact, I had no idea that anything was off at all,’ the actor wrote in his memoir Vagabond, as per Daily Mail.
Thankfully, the masseuse noticed something was amiss with Tim’s body, and called an ambulance even though the actor told him not to, thinking it was all a big overreaction.
‘I probably owe my life to the fact that he ignored me, went with his instinct, and called an ambulance.’
‘Even as they were loading me in, I still thought my masseur had overreacted, and that we were going through a ridiculous and unnecessary exercise.’
Reflecting that it’s ‘remarkable’ he’s still alive, Tim explained how doctors determined he would need a craniectomy, and he only discovered the severity of his condition on the completion of the procedure, which removed a piece of his skull to relieve pressure on his brain.
I informed that I had suffered a serious stroke, which sent blood clots to my brain, two of which had been removed,’ he recalled, adding: ‘Biologically, such clots really clog up the works — in other words, you’re not getting sufficient blood flow, so your brain isn’t receiving the oxygen and such that it needs.’
While he was in a life-threatening situation, the Home Alone star remembered only thinking that he didn’t feel ‘anything’, due to the paralytic nature of his stroke.
Tim, who originated Rocky Horror’s Dr Frank-N-Furter on stage and screen, is in a wheelchair and suffers with his mobility 13 years on, but recalled how he was ‘very grateful’ his speech fully recovered, as if it hadn’t he would have been ‘devastated’.
After several weeks of limited speech, which were ‘hell’ for Tim, he made a full vocal recovery and pivoted to voice acting.
The star recently made an appearance at a special screening to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Rocky Horror Picture Show at the Academy Museum in Los Angeles, where he further reflected on his health journey.
‘I still can’t walk, which is why I’m in this silly chair, and that’s very limiting,’ he told the audience at the event, adding: ‘So I won’t be singing and I won’t be dancing very soon. I still have real problems with my left leg.’
What are the symptoms of a stroke?
The NHS outlines that the symptoms of a stroke can be remembered by using the acronym FAST, which stands for Face, Arms, Speech and Time.
When an individual suffers a stroke, they may not be able to smile, their face may have dropped to one side or their mouth or eye may have dropped.
They may not be able to lift both of their arms and keep them up, as one of their arms could be feeling weak or numb.
They may exhibit slurred or unclear speech, or be unable to talk at all and have difficulty understanding if someone else is speaking to them.
People are urged to call 999 if any of these symptoms are spotted.
The charity Stroke Association offers a helpline for anyone who has suffered or been affected by stroke, or if you want further information. You can call the helpline on 0303 3033 100 or email helpline@stroke.org.uk.
Tim is also known for his stint Pennywise the clown in the 1990 TV series It, and has also appeared in the likes of Legend and Annie, as well as featuring in Charlie’s Angels, Muppet Treasure Island and Will & Grace.
Having already voiced roles in the SpongeBob SquarePants videogames, Barbie animated movies and Mighty Ducks cartoons, Tim went on to do voice work for Star Wars: The Clone Wars from 2012 until 2014.
He also returned to Rocky Horror to voice the character of the Criminologist in the two-hour remake special that aired on US TV in 2016.
Tim Curry: Vagabond is out now.
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