His girlfriend (who has not been publicly identified) called 911, and an ambulance rushed him to Los Robles Regional Medical Center in Thousand Oaks. Unconscious and on life support, Lawrence was diagnosed with heatstroke. Though doctors reduced his 107-degree temperature by dousing him with cold water and ice, the actor remained in a coma for three days. His condition "was life threatening," says hospital spokeswoman Kris Carraway-Bowman. "There's a myth that boxers lose weight fast if they wear layers. But you are dehydrating yourself, and your body temperature goes up."
Lawrence, who stars as an ex-con in the comedy Blue Streak, due Sept. 17, now seems to be on his way to recovery. He was taken off a ventilator on Aug. 30 and listed in serious but stable condition in the critical care unit. But long-term problems, including kidney damage, may still develop. "It's encouraging he got well this soon [but] he is not out of the woods," says Carraway-Bowman, noting that he may remain hospitalized for weeks, putting the scheduled Oct. 11 start of Momma's in doubt.
Oddly, his role in the movie doesn't really require the lean look. In fact, he will spend a large portion of the film impersonating a heavyset woman, Mrs. Doubtfire-style. But, says a friend, "Martin wants to look good in front of the camera." Adds actor pal Tommy Morgan: "It's not uncommon for him to jog in the heat. He keeps his body in tune."
This was not the first time that Lawrence has required emergency medical attention. In May 1996 he was hospitalized after wandering with a gun in his pocket into a busy intersection in the L.A. suburb of Sherman Oaks, where he shouted obscenities at passing cars. (The explanation, according to a spokesman: dehydration and exhaustion.)
That surreal moment marked the beginning of a seemingly self-destructive phase. Two months later, Lawrence was stopped at an airport metal detector with a loaded pistol. In '97 he was accused of sexual harassment by Tisha Campbell, costar of his FOX sitcom Martin (which ended its five-year run that May). The suit was settled, but in the meantime he filed for divorce from his wife of nearly two years, Patricia Southall, 28, who labeled him a drug user who showed "irrational and abusive behavior toward me." Later that year he was convicted of misdemeanor battery and sentenced to two years probation and 30 days community service for punching a man in a nightclub.
He appears to have regained control in the past two years. No illegal drugs were found in his body after his collapse, and friends insist he has changed his ways. "Martin has a lot on the burner right now," says Tommy Morgan. "His work ethic is crazy. That's why he was out running." Indeed, the actor starred with Eddie Murphy in April's Life and has already committed to two more films after Momma's. He is living up to his personal responsibilities as well. He pays Southall $12,000 in child support each month for their daughter Jasmin, 3.
During his latest crisis, a group of relatives has maintained a bedside vigil. "He is very family oriented," says Morgan. "I wish more people would see that side of him. The media sees the bad boy in him." Indeed, despite the setback, Lawrence appears to have a couple of new guiding principles in life. "I'm enjoying learning how not to take life so seriously," he told the Chicago Sun-Times last month. "I'm also learning how to respect myself and others."
Dan Jewel
Lorenzo Benet and Ron Arias in Los Angeles
- Contributors:
- Lorenzo Benet,
- Ron Arias.
Saved by the Bell Reunion
The hookups, the meltdowns, the memoires
The case reveals what was really going on what they think of each other now!
