How Sharon Stone lost $18 million after suffering a stroke: 'It was all gone'

Sharon Stone is opening up about one of the most difficult moments in her life. The Hollywood star, known for her iconic roles in 'Basic Instinct' and 'Casino,' is looking back at a painful time after reaching success in the 90s, and suffering health struggles in 2001.

The actress revealed to The Hollywood Reporter that after suffering a stroke in 2001, she endured financial struggles, but was able to move forward after losing $18 million from her previous roles in the entertainment business. 

"I had $18 million saved because of all my success, but when I got back into my bank account, it was all gone," she explained to the publication, adding that she was taken "advantage" of while recovering from her stroke, as the people behind her finances thought she "was going to die."

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"My refrigerator, my phone – everything was in other people’s names. I had zero money," she said in the interview, stating that she stayed positive and moved forward despite the major setback. "I decided to stay present and let go," she said. 

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"I decided not to hang onto being sick or to any bitterness or anger. If you bite into the seed of bitterness, it never leaves you. But if you hold faith, even if that faith is the size of a mustard seed, you will survive," the actress recalled. "So, I live for joy now," she said. "I live for purpose."

"I went to the first hospital and had an MRI and had this near-death experience and then was transferred to a specialized hospital. I continued to bleed into my brain for nine days before my best friend convinced [the doctors] to look again," she said during an appearance on Good Morning Britain. "Thank God they did, because they realized what was going on and how it had happened and were able to repair it at the last moment."