Bob Odenkirk Gets Candid On The Positive Outcome Of His On-Set Heart Attack

In an unexpectedly scary moment on the set of AMC's "Better Call Saul," series star Bob Odenkirk collapsed from a heart attack mid-shoot in July 2021. In an interview with "Sunday Today" in March, Odenkirk confirmed the seriousness of the incident, expressing his gratitude that co-stars Patrick Fabian and Rhea Seehorn were nearby to help — in addition to other cast and crew who attempted CPR with a defibrillator. Transported to an Albuquerque hospital, sources at the time of the heart attack told TMZ that Odenkirk was "touch-and-go" at first, with his condition stabilizing the next day. 

As Odenkirk told Willie Geist on "Sunday Today," the experience was probably scarier for those around him. "I was not present for any of it," he said, "but I'm told it was a pretty shocking day on set, and traumatizing for all my co-stars and crew members and people I love very much who love me." 

With "Better Call Saul" currently airing its final episodes, Odenkirk is taking some time to share his renewed faith in human kindness after that health scare. 

Bob Odenkirk has learned a really sweet lesson about humanity through his near-fatal July 2021 heart attack. On the August 2 episode of "Today," Odenkirk told host Hoda Kotb that he's still reflecting on the emotional ramifications of the life-threatening incident. "It affects me now more now than it ever did, and in a good way. I just think about the amount of people that cared for me and the reaction from the public." He added, "It was just such an outpouring of kindness and care that I would have never expected and did not earn in any way." Odenkirk, admitting he can "get cynical about the world and about people," mused that the experience made him realize the world can be a caring place after all.

In an April interview with People, Odenkirk revealed that the "Better Call Saul" cast and crew thought he had died after paramedics initially failed to revive him on the scene. Noting that his colleagues were definitely "more traumatized" than him, Odenkirk described the scenario of them watching the professionals "use the defibrillator three times on me" and "look at each other and say he's not coming back." Scary!

Luckily, Odenkirk is not only recovered, but more optimistic than ever.