Former NBA All-star Lamar Odom is "living cleaner" according to new reports, despite suffering a health scare early Sunday, November 5, 2017 morning when he collapsed to the ground at a Los Angeles nightclub.
The incident occurred at about 2 a.m. while the former NBA star was at a VIP booth at the celebrity hotspot Bootsy Bellows, according to TMZ, which obtained a video of Odom on the ground.
A rep for the ex-Laker attributed Odom's collapse to dehydration and assured he is currently "doing well."
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"He was dehydrated and had been in an intense workout earlier in the day," the rep told E! News in a statement. "It was also very hot in the club."
The video shows men helping Odom onto a couch after the collapse. The ex-Laker appears to be conscious throughout the video.
Odom's past issues with substance abuse are well-documented.
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If you remember on October 13, 2015, after being traded from the Championship Lakers, then becoming a free agent after a brief stint with the Dallas Mavericks and LA Clippers, Odom was discovered unconscious at the Love Ranch, a brothel in Crystal, Nevada. He was in a coma and placed on life support in a hospital in Las Vegas for four days before regaining consciousness. He had suffered several strokes and kidney failure. He was transferred from Las Vegas to a Los Angeles hospital by medical transport.
In August 2016, reports emerged that he was partying - again - with strippers, which is what he was doing when he overdosed and nearly died in 2015.
Since that incident, Us Weekly reported that Odom is "the best he has been in many months."
In fact, Lamar Odom made a public declaration of his conversion to Christianity, thanking Jesus for keeping him alive.
"Nowadays I'm doing the best I can in walking with the Lord," the two-time NBA champion wrote on Instagram earlier this week, thanking the founding pastor of the church, Dr. A.R. Vernon, who led him in prayer. "I got saved at The Word Church this weekend."
But Lamar is no stranger to substance use and abuse. In the 2000 - 2001 NBA season, Lamar was a starter for the LA clippers averaging 17.2 points. But in March of that season, Odom was suspended for five games for violating the NBA's drug policy. In the following season, he was suspended in November for violating the drug policy again, his second offense in eight months. He admitted to using marijuana after the suspension.
Over a decade later, it looks like Lamar is finally getting the message and is
turning his life around. He is trying to live his life right for the sake of his children. Lamar had three children, Destiny (b. 1998), Lamar Jr. (b. 2002) and Jayden (2005–2006), with Liza Morales before they separated. On June 29, 2006, 6½-month-old Jayden died from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) while sleeping in his crib in New York. At the time, Odom was already in town for the funeral of an aunt. Both deaths Lamar took hard.
With many troubled celebrities, drugs can sometimes be an issue. A celebrity spirals out of control, they seek help and then they try to live a drug free life. But, it's not the initial help that's an issue - it's the ability to consistently stay drug-free that proves to be more difficult.
Many substance abuse programs have a step-by-step process formulated to help individuals in need. Below we've compiled the common steps:
Find A Higher Power - Ever pray in desperation to get off that pain killer? Ever get mad at God? A good relationship with a higher power, of any form, is key in continuing to stay clean. You will have to be disciplined. This doesn't mean getting on your knees everyday and saying your sins. It doesn't mean you even have to go to church or read the Bible. Just have a healthy respect for what these things can do. Having a higher power makes you feel supported and loved while you're trying to get and stay clean.
Make New Friends - Sorry to say this, but all those people you befriended while you were addicted, more than likely, are not your real friends. They are usually just out for your money, your car, and maybe your house. It's very important to establish healthy relationships with people who are truly there for you and want to help you become a healthier person.
READ: Khloe & Lamar: When Abuse Hurts The Relationship
Examine The Positives - Living a clean life will not only help you get more of what you want out of life, but it will also help you to be in a better position to enjoy it. In addition, you'll be able to enjoy better relationships, and live a more rewarding and stable life that you can be proud.
