Chevy Chase endured a near-fatal heart failure in 2021, plunging into an eight-day medically induced coma during a five-week hospitalization amid the COVID pandemic. His daughter Caley Chase tearfully recounted doctors warning the family, “We might not get him back,” urging them to prepare for the worst as cardiomyopathy—linked to past alcohol struggles—weakened his heart. The revelations surface in CNN’s upcoming documentary I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Not, premiering January 1, 2026.
The Crisis Unfolds
Chase’s wife Jayni described rushing him to the ER when he couldn’t explain his symptoms; his heart stopped upon arrival, ravaged by cardiomyopathy from years of heavy drinking, including rehab stints in the 1980s and 2016. Friend Peter Aaron confirmed doctors induced the coma for about eight days to stabilize him, attributing his ongoing memory gaps to the ordeal. Daughters Caley and Cydney Chase reflected on the terror: “He’s 80-something and has basically come back from the dead,” Caley said, voice breaking.
Lasting Impact and Recovery
Post-hospital, Chase vaguely called it a “heart issue,” downplaying the coma while resuming low-key life at 82. In the doc, he admits memory loss persists—“doctors have told me that, so I have to be reminded of things”—affecting recollections of SNL and Community controversies. He combats it with card games and chess, declaring, “I’m fine now. Heart failure is what it is”.
Family Reflections
Cydney noted the family’s constant bedside vigils during COVID restrictions, while Jayni credited survival to medical intervention. The film, directed by Marina Zenovich, features stars like Ryan Reynolds and Lorne Michaels alongside loved ones, framing Chase’s resilience amid his comedic legacy from National Lampoon’s Vacation and beyond. Caley’s raw account—“It’s so hard to talk about”—humanizes the icon’s brush with mortality.
