Ryan O’Neal’s health took a turn in 2001, when he was diagnosed with chronic myelogenous leukemia at the age of 60, per People. At the time, his rep told ABC News, “It is treatable and he is doing very well.” While he entered remission for his illness, he found out he had prostate cancer in 2012. A year later, O’Neal talked about overcoming the disease at the Prostate Cancer Research Institute Conference. O’Neal shared, “I’m cancer-free. And I plan to stay that way. As long as I’m examined every three months or so and they keep tabs on my progress, I feel the sky’s the limit.”
Read Related Also: Nigella Lawson, 63, reveals the one household chore she has NEVER done because she has a deep hatred of it
In 2021, O’Neal opened up about his health issues to People. “I’m proud of them, I’ve survived them. I thought I was gone. And suddenly I come back. Not the same man I was, but I’m back,” he said. The actor also considered how he’d be remembered, saying, “Oh, I’ve had so many stories told about me that I don’t even know what my legacy is.” While fans recall O’Neal’s complicated relationships, the actor is also remembered for his mark on the entertainment industry. After his death, O’Neal’s “Peyton Place” co-star Lee Grant praised the star on X, formerly known as Twitter. “An incredible talent, an incredible beauty. A gift of an artist we’re lucky to have so much of captured forever,” she tweeted.
