Apple cider vinegar Is Pilates for you? 'Ambient gaslighting' 'Main character energy'
PEOPLE
Whoopi Goldberg

'The View': Whoopi Goldberg's doctors reveal she had a 30% chance of dying from pneumonia

Whoopi Goldberg is raising awareness about the dangers of pneumonia after doctors say the star had a "1 in 3" chance of dying from the infection earlier this year. 

"The View" co-host, 63, took an extended hiatus from the daytime talk show following a serious bout with pneumonia and sepsis.

During Monday's episode, Goldberg's doctors detailed just how dire her condition was. 

Goldberg said she initially got a cough in November, but the illness lingered for months before she was rushed to the emergency room in February, unable to walk and barely to breathe. 

'I came very, very close' to death:Whoopi Goldberg 'OK' after battling pneumonia, sepsis:

"View" co-hosts Whoopi Goldberg and Abby Huntsman

"Her teeth were chattering, she was gasping for air," Dr. Jorge Rodriguez said, recalling the star's symptoms before her hospitalization. "I could barely understand Whoopi."

Rodriguez continued: "I tried not to sound scared. … I was afraid she wasn’t going to wake up because you don’t know if someone, when they give you those clues ― is she really now just tired or is she going to become unconscious and this is it?"

'The View':Whoopi Goldberg returns, jumps in as referee on first day back from sick leave

Pulmonologist Martin Greenberg said it was "all hands on deck" when Goldberg was admitted, revealing that she had a 30% chance of dying from her symptoms, including high fever, shortness of breath, rapid heart rate and low oxygen levels.

Greenberg said he had to drain fluid from Goldberg's lungs twice. He called her right lung a "sponge," noting that it was so congested with fluid that it couldn't fill with air. 

The Oscar-winning actress returned to "The View" in April, after telling with the audience in a video message in March that she "came very, very close to leaving the Earth."

Goldberg shared her recent scare in hopes of motivating others to be vigilant about their health, adding that, "It's OK to go to the doctor because you don't feel good."

"The crazy thing is people don't take (pneumonia) seriously," Goldberg said, acknowledging that she didn't initially. "I just (tried to) fight through it, and you can't do that. It will kill you."

She stressed: "Inactivity, not doing anything, not checking, will kill you."

'I didn't care about the book': Whoopi Goldberg spills her view on 'Ladies Who Punch'

Featured Weekly Ad