Whoopi Goldberg celebrates her 68th birthday today, four years after suffering a near-fatal health scare, suffering from pneumonia and sepsis.

The actor and comedian took a four-year hiatus from TV show, The View after the scare, where doctors told her she had a 30% chance of dying.

Whoopi Goldberg ‘lucky to be alive’ after near-fatal health scare

In 2019, the star caught what she thought was a “common cold,” in the Fall of 2018, not realizing it would end up with her being admitted to the hospital.

The next February, she was diagnosed with pneumonia in both lungs, as well as sepsis, with doctors telling her that she had a 30 percent chance of dying.

“I’m very, very lucky,” she told PEOPLE months after the health scare.

Recalling the frightening time to the publication, she said: “The doctor told me, ‘Listen, you’re not going anywhere tomorrow and you’re not going anywhere next week because you are really sick.”

While she was in the hospital, the 68-year-old had her lungs drained twice, and had a catheter put in place to continuously remove fluid.

At the time, The View host who had been absent from the show for over a month sent a video message to fans to thank them for their support.

“Thank you for all of your good wishes, all of the wonderful things that people have been saying,” she said.

“Even people who are not huge fans of mine have actually said nice things about me. We all know that’s going to change when I get back,” the comedian laughed.

The Sister Act star pens tribute to her mother on her birthday

Weeks before her own birthday, the Hollywood star paid tribute to her late mother on Instagram, on what would have been her big day.

Posting a sweet selfie of the pair together to her 1.3 million followers, Whoopi wrote:

“Today is My Mother Emma’s Birthday. Always on my mind, always in my heart.”

Emma Johnson tragically passed away in August 2010, following a stroke. At the time, Goldberg left the production of Sister Act in London to return to the US.

Appearing on the view after her death, speaking of her mother she said she was “one of the best people I’ve had the privilege of knowing.”

“I’m not sad, because she had a great time,” Goldberg said. “My mother was a great adventure person, so she loved to go on adventures and my brother and I made sure that her life was full and rich.

“I think I’m just sad sometimes that I think, ‘Who will love me the way that she did?’ But I realize that my brother and I have each other and so we’re ok.”

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