Iconic Actress, 61, Praised for ‘Brave’ Speech at Son’s Wedding After Stroke originally appeared on Parade.
Actress Tatum O’Neal was praised by her son Kevin McEnroe for giving a memorable speech at his wedding five years after she suffered a near-fatal stroke.
After Kevin, 39, married actress Fern Cozine on June 14, he told Vogue that his “mother, father and stepmother [singer Patty Smyth] were all there, together and in harmony, which hadn’t been the case in many years.”
Kevin went on to share insight into the wedding while praising his mother for making a memorable speech. “My mother — who suffered a stroke in 2020 that left her temporarily nonverbal and immobile, but who fought her way back with grit and, at times, a kind of abridged elegance — got up and gave a speech,” he said.
“She thanked my father and stepmother for having her, told a bit of her wild life story, which she can’t seem to help, but also spoke of a future filled with love, hope and joy,” Kevin continued. “She was brave and gracious, and I was proud of her for doing so.”
In addition to O’Neal, the groom’s father, John McEnroe, and Cozine’s parents also delivered speeches during the wedding.
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O’Neal and John, 66, got married in 1986 and welcomed sons Kevin and Sean McEnroe, 37, and daughter Emily McEnroe, 34. They split in 1992 and went on to have a messy custody battle.
While O’Neal’s stroke happened in 2020, she did not publicly reveal the medical issue until 2023. The Paper Moon actress, who has a history of drug abuse issues, revealed that she overdosed in her Century City apartment, which ultimately caused the severe stroke.
More recently, she opened up about the experience during a February interview with Variety. “Now I don’t want to hurt myself,” O’Neal said about her mindset after her stroke. “Now I don’t want to fucking take drugs again — I really don’t.”
Iconic Actress, 61, Praised for ‘Brave’ Speech at Son’s Wedding After Stroke first appeared on Parade on Jul 15, 2025
This story was originally reported by Parade on Jul 15, 2025, where it first appeared.
