Lamar Odom opens up about his near-death experience and 'overcoming tragedy' l GMA

Let's now turn to our general manager for a cover story an exclusive interview with former basketball star Lamar Odom. now he has an openness about his near-

death

experience

his path to recovery from addiction his relationship with Khloe Kardashian and why he's now telling all in his new memoir darkness to illuminate ABC's juju Chang sat down with him hey juju good morning sincerely good morning guys, you know that the flashy career of the NBA, massive sponsorships and a successful reality show seemed to be on top of the world, remember Khloe and Lamar from the juggernut The Kardashian clan long before Lamar Odom almost died for that overdosed on drugs in a Las Vegas brothel, his life was a series of tragedies.

Lamar sat down with us for a wide-ranging interview that revealed for the first time raw, intimate details of a life derailed that is truly a story of triumph,

overcoming

obstacles over many tragedies and

tragedy

,

overcoming

a

tragedy

too. At 39 years old, Lamar Odom's life has already been full of ups and downs, a roller coaster ride that he says began at age 12. When his single mother died of cancer you're looking to fill that void you know good things and you know some things I was trying to fill that void close Your first time with cocaine was it mixed with sex What was it like to be introduced? that toxic concoction to me that's exactly what it was, it's toxic.

I was like unleashing a super demon. It was professional and Khloe didn't know it for a long time. Khloe and Lamar married in 2009, after a whirlwind month-long romance, tell me how it went. being in front of the camera Keeping up with the paparazzi Kardashians everywhere I loved it yeah I mean the red carpet is rolled out for you everywhere you go what's not to love about that and that moment when we filmed our show Khloe and Lamar, yes, he was. Playing very good basketball, you were at the peak of your career and yet you hid your drug use and sex addiction from Chloe.

Yes, well, you got married. You don't want your wife to know that G smells: you have stripper secrets that were getting harder. to hide in the book Lamar remembers a drug-induced rage, hallucinating and paranoid, he tells Chloe, I will blow you up, I will kill you, you don't know what I'm capable of, I'm pretty sure she had to be scared in that moment, I'm thinking. About it, I like it, I couldn't believe how it was to treat that clean girl that way, have you apologized to her? I don't think you feel like you owe her an apology, yeah, I have a family in her father's big moment, her in that moment.

She kicked you out to the curb yeah, well she took care of me, yeah, everything I ever needed I wanted, I needed, so it was like kicking a kid out of her house, it was like a 12 year old losing. Lamar says he went to the love ranch. Las Vegas brothel to escape the fear of losing everything I was just thinking about Charlie, go have fun, you weren't thinking if I wasn't thinking, that wasn't making me selfish after a four day bender, he was found unconscious twelve seizures six strokes his heart stopped twice my doctors at Cedars-Sinai said I got a little crazy by the way you took lethal doses of whatever substance you have no memory of taking drugs I did, but you don't remember much of anything either That's when was the last time you did cocaine poof I can't even remember I can't remember it's been a long time so you're not high now no, I snorted cocaine for this interview not because You've told stories in the past, how do I know you're telling the story? right now?

All you can do is believe me and if you don't, there's nothing I can do. Lamar completed a month-long stint in rehab in 2016 these days. He says he'll have a drink once in a while. I smoke marijuana to this day. Oh, just to help someone. You still smoke marijuana. Yes, that calmed me down. When was the last time you smoked marijuana? Yesterday, yes, but you know everyone's path in rehabilitation and after. rehab will be different to find sobriety so it will be good for you, it may not be work for me. One of the last things you say in the book is: I'm Lamar Joseph Odom and I'm alive, that's how you end mm-hmm.

What does it really mean to you to be alive? Be aware Be present Be aware Follow the rules and emerge victorious We should note that the Kardashian family did not comment regarding Lamar, whose own father also struggled with addiction, much of his sobriety involves making up for lost time with his son Lamar Jr. and his daughter, Destiny, who I also spoke to and it was his ultimatum that the Lee phone would force him to go to rehab and hopefully break that cycle of addiction that plagued so many families. I certainly hope it was a fantastic interview.

You'll have a lot more about this in Nightline absolutely in that book, of course, From Darkness to Light comes out today. Well, hello GMA fans, Robin Roberts here, thanks for watching our YouTube channel, there's a lot of great stuff here, so keep going, click the subscribe button right here. For more amazing GMA videos and content every day, anytime, we thank you for watching and see you in the morning on GMA.