Lamar Odomhas become a Christian.The former NBA star and ex-husband ofKhloé Kardashianannounced this week that he is now “walking with the Lord.”Sharing two Instagram photos of himself praying with arms raised alongside Dr. R. A. Vernon, who is the founder and senior pastor of The Word Church in Ohio, Odom, 39, said that he “got saved” at the church this past weekend.“Nowadays I’m doing the best I can in walking with the Lord,” said Odom, whose former brother-in-lawKanye West is also a vocal Christian. “Thanks to Pastor Vernon @drravernon, I got saved at @thewordchurch this weekend.”“I had to show Jesus my appreciation for keeping me alive!” he added, referencing hisoverdose in 2015.Lamar Odom.Lamar Odom/InstagramNearly four years ago, Odom almost died when he was found unconscious at a brothelin Las Vegas. While the NBA champion told PEOPLE earlier this year that he’s drug-free now, Odom, who appeared onKeeping up with the Kardashiansduring his tumultuous four-year marriage with Kardashian, is still living with the repercussions.“I have horrible memory loss,”Odom told PEOPLEin the exclusive interview.“And my long-term memory was affected as well. Athletically, my balance is poo,” said Odom, whose bookDarkness to Lightdetails his life of addiction. “I was shocked how weak my body became.”It could have been much worse, as Odom came very close to losing his life. In his book, he writes of the time leading up to the overdose.“I decided to spend the weekend of Oct. 10, 2015, at the Love Ranch, a brothel in Las Vegas,” Odom writes. “The number of days that blended into nights that I’ve spent with a beautiful woman and a mound of drugs. … My getaway weekend would be no different.”Continues Odom in the book: “On Tuesday morning, I lay on the floor in my room at the Ranch, dying. My body was convulsing. The women who kept me company screamed and called 911. I was taken to Sunrise Hospital in Las Vegas. There was an unholy concoction of cocaine, cognac and cannabis coursing through my veins. My heart stopped twice. I had twelve seizures and six strokes. My lungs collapsed and my kidneys ruptured. I was on life support. Everyone I’d ever loved was looking at me through bleary eyes.”Lamar Odom and Khloé Kardashian.TheDancing with the Starsalumnussaid he doesn’t recall much from those early days.“Waking up [on Oct. 16], I was pulling the tubes out of my throat,” he told PEOPLE. “And I was trying to talk but I couldn’t get the words out. That was the scariest part. And not being able to walk. I’m a big athlete you know?”Odom said he can remember the support of Kardashian, who, though they were separated at the time, immediately flew to Las Vegas when she heard the news. “Khloé never left my side,” Odom writes. “She didn’t shower for days. Kim’s resiliency was incredible too. They put chairs together for her to sleep across at night.”Kardashian’s rep did not respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment at the time.He was eventually transferred to a hospital in Los Angeles, where he stayed until January, nearly three months after the overdose.Since the life-threatening incident, Odom said he’s grateful to be alive while admitting that every day is still a struggle.“[The overdose] made me realize I couldn’t live the way I’d been living,” Odom told PEOPLE. “Life is too good.”
Lamar Odomhas become a Christian.
The former NBA star and ex-husband ofKhloé Kardashianannounced this week that he is now “walking with the Lord.”
Sharing two Instagram photos of himself praying with arms raised alongside Dr. R. A. Vernon, who is the founder and senior pastor of The Word Church in Ohio, Odom, 39, said that he “got saved” at the church this past weekend.
“Nowadays I’m doing the best I can in walking with the Lord,” said Odom, whose former brother-in-lawKanye West is also a vocal Christian. “Thanks to Pastor Vernon @drravernon, I got saved at @thewordchurch this weekend.”
“I had to show Jesus my appreciation for keeping me alive!” he added, referencing hisoverdose in 2015.
Lamar Odom.Lamar Odom/Instagram
Nearly four years ago, Odom almost died when he was found unconscious at a brothelin Las Vegas. While the NBA champion told PEOPLE earlier this year that he’s drug-free now, Odom, who appeared onKeeping up with the Kardashiansduring his tumultuous four-year marriage with Kardashian, is still living with the repercussions.
“I have horrible memory loss,”Odom told PEOPLEin the exclusive interview.
“And my long-term memory was affected as well. Athletically, my balance is poo,” said Odom, whose bookDarkness to Lightdetails his life of addiction. “I was shocked how weak my body became.”
It could have been much worse, as Odom came very close to losing his life. In his book, he writes of the time leading up to the overdose.
“I decided to spend the weekend of Oct. 10, 2015, at the Love Ranch, a brothel in Las Vegas,” Odom writes. “The number of days that blended into nights that I’ve spent with a beautiful woman and a mound of drugs. … My getaway weekend would be no different.”
Continues Odom in the book: “On Tuesday morning, I lay on the floor in my room at the Ranch, dying. My body was convulsing. The women who kept me company screamed and called 911. I was taken to Sunrise Hospital in Las Vegas. There was an unholy concoction of cocaine, cognac and cannabis coursing through my veins. My heart stopped twice. I had twelve seizures and six strokes. My lungs collapsed and my kidneys ruptured. I was on life support. Everyone I’d ever loved was looking at me through bleary eyes.”
Lamar Odom and Khloé Kardashian.
TheDancing with the Starsalumnussaid he doesn’t recall much from those early days.
“Waking up [on Oct. 16], I was pulling the tubes out of my throat,” he told PEOPLE. “And I was trying to talk but I couldn’t get the words out. That was the scariest part. And not being able to walk. I’m a big athlete you know?”
Odom said he can remember the support of Kardashian, who, though they were separated at the time, immediately flew to Las Vegas when she heard the news. “Khloé never left my side,” Odom writes. “She didn’t shower for days. Kim’s resiliency was incredible too. They put chairs together for her to sleep across at night.”
Kardashian’s rep did not respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment at the time.
He was eventually transferred to a hospital in Los Angeles, where he stayed until January, nearly three months after the overdose.
Since the life-threatening incident, Odom said he’s grateful to be alive while admitting that every day is still a struggle.
“[The overdose] made me realize I couldn’t live the way I’d been living,” Odom told PEOPLE. “Life is too good.”
source: people.com
