“The Jeffersons” Star & Beloved Actress Marla Gibbs, 94, Opens Up About How She Survived Nearly Fatal Brain Aneurysm & Stroke

Marla Gibbs

“The Jeffersons” Star & Beloved Actress Marla Gibbs, 94, Opens Up About How She Survived Nearly Fatal Brain Aneurysm & Stroke

#MarlaGibbs is opening up about her harrowing battle with a nearly fatal brain aneurysm and stroke and how she survived one of the toughest periods of her life.

In excerpts of her upcoming memoir It’s Never Too Late, obtained by PEOPLE, Gibbs recounts how the 2006 health crisis left her hospitalized and facing a long recovery. She says the realization that most people don’t survive brain aneurysms reminded her “God still had plans for me.”

While recovering, Gibbs struggled with physical and emotional challenges, including a loss of independence and moments of despair. She describes how difficult it was to accept help, sharing that she resisted assistance so fiercely that she would sneak out of bed despite her limitations. Gibbs recalls, “I did not want to use the diapers while in rehab. I wanted to go to the bathroom on my own. The bathroom was right next to my bed so I could not understand why I needed help to get there. Every time they would leave the room, I would sneak out of the bed and end up on the floor.”

She adds, “My family finally had to ask them to tie me to the bed. I watched carefully as the nurses tied me up, so I could untie myself as soon as they left. And you guessed it … I’d be on the floor again.” Despite the pain and setbacks, Gibbs gradually regained her strength with the support of family and friends.

Her memoir, available on February 24, highlights not only the physical resilience she showed but also the emotional growth that came from learning to accept support when she needed it most. It also dives into other key moments from her personal life and decades-long career.