Ryan O'Neal: Farrah Fawcett is Critically Ill - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Brian Damage · 05-07-2009, 08:15 AM

http://www.people.com/people/article...276981,00.html

In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, an emotional and often teary-eyed Ryan O'Neal spoke for the first time about the devastating illness of his longtime partner, Farrah Fawcett, who has battled cancer for the past two and a half years.

"It's a love story. I just don't know how to play this one. I won't know this world without her," O'Neal, 68, says of his current role as caretaker. "Cancer is an insidious enemy."

Revealing for the first time how the anal cancer long ago spread to other parts of Fawcett's body, including her liver, O'Neal says, "She stays in bed now. The doctors see that she is comfortable. Farrah is on IVs, but some of that is for nourishment. The treatment has pretty much ended."

Fawcett, 62, herself tells of her journey through illness in Farrah's Story a two-hour NBC documentary the onetime Charlie's Angels icon shot with pal Alana Stewart that airs Friday, May 15.

The Fateful Day
"It was never meant to be a documentary," says Stewart, 63. "Farrah just took her little hand-held camera to the doctor one day." It was the day, as it turned out, that Fawcett learned from her doctors the cancer she thought she had licked had returned.

"Farrah was devastated," says O'Neal. "It was horrible, terrible news." Despite this, Fawcett chose to keep the camera running. Says Stewart: "She wanted to tell the truth. There were times I'd stop filming because I thought it was too personal and she said, 'This is what people go through with cancer. Film it.' So I would."

Farrah's Story details Fawcett's trips overseas for medical treatment not readily available in the U.S. "They really didn't know what to do in the States," says O'Neal. All in all over a period of two years, the ailing actress visited Germany six times and was under the supervising care of Dr. Ursula Jacob of the Alpenpark Clinic. "We had great promise," continues O'Neal. "There were times when there seemed to be positive results. Farrah was even playing tennis."

Sadly, Fawcett's condition worsened. "At about the halfway point in our trips the news started to get darker and darker and darker," says O'Neal. "The hope started to fade. But not for Farrah. She continued fighting. There was always a courage there, and a quiet dignity. Farrah never changed. I fell in love with her all over again because of how she handled this."

Her Days Now
Fawcett now spends her days at home, often asleep. "She stays in bed," says O'Neal. "It's a nice bed." She receives visits from a few close friends – including fellow Charlie's Angels stars Jaclyn Smith and Kate Jackson and, when able, likes to watch TV, especially Dominick Dunne's cable program Power, Privilege and Justice.

Another visitor has been Fawcett and O'Neal's son Redmond, who, behind bars for a drug-related probation violation, on April 25 was allowed three hours at home with his mother to say what might be his final goodbye. In his jail-issued jumpsuit and in shackles, Redmond is seen in the NBC documentary climbing into his sleeping mother's bed and crying. "Oh my gosh, my gosh," he says as he hugs the frail figure next to him. "Oh, my gosh."

"Farrah doesn't know Redmond's in trouble," says O'Neal. "And Redmond is terrified for his mother. 'I don't want to be in jail and have some guard tell me she is gone,' he said to me. I told him, 'She's rebounding.' I lied to him. I lie to her. It's the best thing." Redmond, meanwhile, is awaiting transfer to a lockdown rehab facility.

No Vanity
A particularly cruel aspect of the disease is that Fawcett has now lost her iconic golden tresses. "The hair is gone," says O'Neal. "Her famous hair. I have it at home. She didn't care. I rub her head. It's kind of fun, actually, this great, tiny little head. How she carried all that hair I'll never know. She doesn't have a vanity about it."

For now, O'Neal struggles to keep hope alive and to avoid facing the future without the love of his life. "I can't hear a song, I can't pass places that we were together, without being stabbed in the heart," he says. "A week ago Farrah said to me, 'Am I going to make it?' I said, 'Yes, you'll make it. And if you don't, I'll go with you.'

"Farrah has never, ever talked about how unfair it is," concludes O'Neal. "But I've thought about it. She may have thought to herself that she had been chosen to do this, that some higher power had put her in this situation. Because then there would be something positive to come out of it. And maybe that's true. But I'm just not so sure it's something positive for Farrah."

catlover79 · 05-07-2009, 08:49 AM

This story just brought tears to my eyes. Ryan O'Neal has never been a favorite of mine, but knowing how long he and Farrah have been together, it's going to be devastating for him once the inevitable happens. As for Redmond - hopefully what's going on with his mom will give him the motivation to kick the habit for good. All I can say is - God bless you, Farrah. You are so loved!!

Scoobiedoo30 · 05-07-2009, 12:55 PM

I am very sad to here this news

MickeyMac · 05-07-2009, 12:56 PM

Yeah I have always thought Ryan O'Neal was a total jerk for the way his kids turned out, but wow now I have a whole new respect for the man.

80sTrivia · 05-07-2009, 05:39 PM

I don't really have any words, just sadness...

AB · 05-07-2009, 06:18 PM

How very sad it is to read this. My thoughts & prayers are with her.

catlover79 · 05-07-2009, 09:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MickeyMac

Yeah I have always thought Ryan O'Neal was a total jerk for the way his kids turned out, but wow now I have a whole new respect for the man.

So do I...and it sounds like he has finally grown up.

Mr. Television · 05-07-2009, 11:10 PM

The whole thing just makes me sad.

catlover79 · 05-07-2009, 11:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clint Eastwood Fan

The whole thing just makes me sad.

Same here. Farrah deserves better.

steevo · 05-07-2009, 11:33 PM

^ Agreed. It's sad to hear about Farrah, but Ryan has been by her side this whole time, and that's good to see. It's also inspirational to hear that she is fighting this the best she can.

God bless you, Farrah.

Heidi Dawn · 05-08-2009, 04:24 PM

It's a shame to hear that Farrah isn't doing so well. Mom didn't know Farrah had cancer.

TripperFan · 05-08-2009, 05:16 PM

This one really hits a little too close to home for me.

And it's sadly odd - if anyone's ever seen the movie Love Story. Especially the part with Redmond climbing into bed with her.

catlover79 · 05-08-2009, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TripperFan

This one really hits a little too close to home for me.

And it's sadly odd - if anyone's ever seen the movie Love Story. Especially the part with Redmond climbing into bed with her.

I know - the parallels between Love Story and Ryan's life right now are eerie. Except, of course, Ali MacGraw's character still had her hair and according to this article, Farrah's lost hers.

I was thinking about this myself no too long ago.

Mr. Television · 05-08-2009, 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TripperFan

This one really hits a little too close to home for me.

And it's sadly odd - if anyone's ever seen the movie Love Story. Especially the part with Redmond climbing into bed with her.

That's one of the best and saddest movies of all time.

catlover79 · 05-08-2009, 08:23 PM

Love Story also boasted a gorgeous score by Francis Lai. Here are some pics:

05-07-2009, 08:15 AM	#1
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,107	Ryan O'Neal: Farrah Fawcett is Critically Ill http://www.people.com/people/article...276981,00.html In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, an emotional and often teary-eyed Ryan O'Neal spoke for the first time about the devastating illness of his longtime partner, Farrah Fawcett, who has battled cancer for the past two and a half years. "It's a love story. I just don't know how to play this one. I won't know this world without her," O'Neal, 68, says of his current role as caretaker. "Cancer is an insidious enemy." Revealing for the first time how the anal cancer long ago spread to other parts of Fawcett's body, including her liver, O'Neal says, "She stays in bed now. The doctors see that she is comfortable. Farrah is on IVs, but some of that is for nourishment. The treatment has pretty much ended." Fawcett, 62, herself tells of her journey through illness in Farrah's Story a two-hour NBC documentary the onetime Charlie's Angels icon shot with pal Alana Stewart that airs Friday, May 15. The Fateful Day "It was never meant to be a documentary," says Stewart, 63. "Farrah just took her little hand-held camera to the doctor one day." It was the day, as it turned out, that Fawcett learned from her doctors the cancer she thought she had licked had returned. "Farrah was devastated," says O'Neal. "It was horrible, terrible news." Despite this, Fawcett chose to keep the camera running. Says Stewart: "She wanted to tell the truth. There were times I'd stop filming because I thought it was too personal and she said, 'This is what people go through with cancer. Film it.' So I would." Farrah's Story details Fawcett's trips overseas for medical treatment not readily available in the U.S. "They really didn't know what to do in the States," says O'Neal. All in all over a period of two years, the ailing actress visited Germany six times and was under the supervising care of Dr. Ursula Jacob of the Alpenpark Clinic. "We had great promise," continues O'Neal. "There were times when there seemed to be positive results. Farrah was even playing tennis." Sadly, Fawcett's condition worsened. "At about the halfway point in our trips the news started to get darker and darker and darker," says O'Neal. "The hope started to fade. But not for Farrah. She continued fighting. There was always a courage there, and a quiet dignity. Farrah never changed. I fell in love with her all over again because of how she handled this." Her Days Now Fawcett now spends her days at home, often asleep. "She stays in bed," says O'Neal. "It's a nice bed." She receives visits from a few close friends – including fellow Charlie's Angels stars Jaclyn Smith and Kate Jackson and, when able, likes to watch TV, especially Dominick Dunne's cable program Power, Privilege and Justice. Another visitor has been Fawcett and O'Neal's son Redmond, who, behind bars for a drug-related probation violation, on April 25 was allowed three hours at home with his mother to say what might be his final goodbye. In his jail-issued jumpsuit and in shackles, Redmond is seen in the NBC documentary climbing into his sleeping mother's bed and crying. "Oh my gosh, my gosh," he says as he hugs the frail figure next to him. "Oh, my gosh." "Farrah doesn't know Redmond's in trouble," says O'Neal. "And Redmond is terrified for his mother. 'I don't want to be in jail and have some guard tell me she is gone,' he said to me. I told him, 'She's rebounding.' I lied to him. I lie to her. It's the best thing." Redmond, meanwhile, is awaiting transfer to a lockdown rehab facility. No Vanity A particularly cruel aspect of the disease is that Fawcett has now lost her iconic golden tresses. "The hair is gone," says O'Neal. "Her famous hair. I have it at home. She didn't care. I rub her head. It's kind of fun, actually, this great, tiny little head. How she carried all that hair I'll never know. She doesn't have a vanity about it." For now, O'Neal struggles to keep hope alive and to avoid facing the future without the love of his life. "I can't hear a song, I can't pass places that we were together, without being stabbed in the heart," he says. "A week ago Farrah said to me, 'Am I going to make it?' I said, 'Yes, you'll make it. And if you don't, I'll go with you.' "Farrah has never, ever talked about how unfair it is," concludes O'Neal. "But I've thought about it. She may have thought to herself that she had been chosen to do this, that some higher power had put her in this situation. Because then there would be something positive to come out of it. And maybe that's true. But I'm just not so sure it's something positive for Farrah."
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05-07-2009, 08:49 AM	#2
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,376	This story just brought tears to my eyes. Ryan O'Neal has never been a favorite of mine, but knowing how long he and Farrah have been together, it's going to be devastating for him once the inevitable happens. As for Redmond - hopefully what's going on with his mom will give him the motivation to kick the habit for good. All I can say is - God bless you, Farrah. You are so loved!!
	__________________ "Jesus loves you and He approves this message." "I'm alive. I'm feeling good. I'm trying to live every moment as much as I can." - Valerie Harper, March 2013

05-07-2009, 12:55 PM	#3
Scoobiedoo30 Member Forum Superstar Join Date: Jun 27, 2002 Location: KENNER, LOUISIANA Posts: 27,654	I am very sad to here this news
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05-07-2009, 05:39 PM	#5
80sTrivia Member Forum Celebrity Join Date: May 23, 2002 Posts: 21,715	I don't really have any words, just sadness...
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05-07-2009, 11:10 PM	#8
Mr. Television 23 Years at Sitcoms Online Forum Icon Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Location: Somewhere you're Not Posts: 62,133	The whole thing just makes me sad.
	__________________ Sonny

05-07-2009, 12:56 PM	#4
MickeyMac Member Forum Star Join Date: Jun 18, 2008 Location: Kalamazoo, Michigan Posts: 19,004	Yeah I have always thought Ryan O'Neal was a total jerk for the way his kids turned out, but wow now I have a whole new respect for the man.

05-07-2009, 06:18 PM	#6
AB Member Eternal Member Forum Icon Join Date: Dec 26, 2006 Location: The South Posts: 59,429	How very sad it is to read this. My thoughts & prayers are with her.

05-07-2009, 11:33 PM	#10
steevo It is Green Senior Member Join Date: Dec 28, 2008 Location: Connecticut Posts: 1,474	^ Agreed. It's sad to hear about Farrah, but Ryan has been by her side this whole time, and that's good to see. It's also inspirational to hear that she is fighting this the best she can. God bless you, Farrah.
	__________________ "God be gracious to us and bless us..." Psalm 67:1

05-08-2009, 04:24 PM	#11
Heidi Dawn Muppets Forum Regular Join Date: Jan 01, 2003 Location: Canada Posts: 883	It's a shame to hear that Farrah isn't doing so well. Mom didn't know Farrah had cancer.
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05-08-2009, 05:16 PM	#12
TripperFan In God's Arms Now Forum Star Join Date: Sep 14, 2003 Location: Heartbreak Ridge Posts: 12,086	This one really hits a little too close to home for me. And it's sadly odd - if anyone's ever seen the movie Love Story. Especially the part with Redmond climbing into bed with her.
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05-08-2009, 08:23 PM	#15
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,376	Love Story also boasted a gorgeous score by Francis Lai. Here are some pics: Attached Images