Let me tell you something about Sharon Stone. In her new memoir, The Beauty of Living Twice, she opens up in a way that’s both raw and inspiring. The book starts in a hospital room back in 2001, where Sharon faced the unimaginable—a massive stroke that nearly took her life. “When you’re staring death in the face, everything changes,” Sharon reflects. “It makes you reevaluate life, hope, and dreams. I’ve accepted that death is inevitable, but until that day comes, I’m determined to make the most of every single moment.”

A Life in the Spotlight

At 63, Sharon Stone has lived an extraordinary life. From growing up in the quiet countryside of Pennsylvania to becoming a Hollywood icon, she’s had her share of ups and downs. Her breakout role in the 1992 thriller Basic Instinct catapulted her to stardom, but little did she know that her greatest challenges were yet to come. In 2001, a brain hemorrhage left her fighting for her life. “The doctors told me I had a five percent chance of surviving,” Sharon recalls. “And even then, I wasn’t the same. My speech was impaired, my hearing was affected, and my mobility was compromised. It was like starting all over again.”

Fighting Back with Courage

Recovering from such a traumatic event wasn’t easy. It took Sharon about seven years to regain her strength and rebuild her life. During this time, she also went through a divorce from her second husband, Phil Bronstein. “It was a tough period,” she admits. “I was battling not just for my health but also for custody of my son, Roan. And then there were financial struggles. I had to re-mortgage my house because I lost everything. But I kept pushing forward, determined to get back to work and provide for my family.”

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Sharon Stone Kids — Leire P J/DYDPPA/Shutterstock

Strength in Family

Through it all, Sharon found solace and strength in her relationships with her children. She shares custody of her eldest son, Roan, 20, with Phil Bronstein, and has two younger sons, Laird, 15, and Quinn, 14, whom she adopted as a single mom. “One of the toughest yet most rewarding things I’ve ever done is picking myself up after everything fell apart,” Sharon says. “As a parent, my ultimate goal is to raise my kids well, no matter what life throws at us. They’ve been my rock, and I’m so grateful for them.”

A New Chapter

Sharon’s journey of recovery wasn’t just about physical healing—it was also about rediscovering her place in the world. In 2005, she signed a contract with Dior, which helped stabilize her finances. The following year, she starred in Basic Instinct 2, finally earning the same salary as Michael Douglas had for the first film. “I’m incredibly thankful for the second chance at life,” Sharon says. “But what’s even more amazing is learning to work around the brain damage I suffered. I’ve learned to forgive things that once seemed unforgivable. My hope is that by sharing my story, others can find inspiration in their own journeys.”

For more on this incredible story, grab the latest issue of Closer magazine, available now at your local newsstand.