HEALTHTed Danson's Health Scare: Actor, 78, Says 'Mortality Is Real' After 'Humbling' Incident
Ted Danson reflected on a recent health scare, calling it 'humbling' and life-changing.
May 7 2026, Published 7:25 a.m. ET
Ted Danson is opening up about a recent health scare that shifted his perspective in a big way.
On the Wednesday, May 6, episode of his podcast “Where Everybody Knows Your Name,” the Cheers star spoke candidly with guest Valerie Bertinelli about what he described as a recent moment that “humbled” him.
Ted Danson opened up about a recent health scare that he said made him reflect on mortality.
“I had a bit of a health scare,” the actor said. “I’m totally fine, but it was like, ‘Oh, that’s real.’”
He didn’t shy away from the emotional impact either, adding, “And it was humbling. Mortality is the real deal, you know. It’s not just a rumor. Ted Danson doesn’t get a free pass. Love his work, but…”
Danson went on to explain that the situation caught him off guard, especially since he believed he had been taking care of himself.
“It was very humbling and calming, and I’m fine,” the The Good Place actor reassured. “I think it was the best thing that could have happened to me, and I’m doing some things differently.”
The 'Cheers' star described the experience as 'humbling' but ultimately calming and life-changing.
Bertinelli chimed in during the conversation, noting that sometimes people try to search for blame in moments like this. She pointed out that while it’s easy to think, “D--- it, if I'd only …,” life doesn’t always offer that kind of clarity.
“There’s no ‘if onlys,'” she said.
For Danson, the experience ultimately became a reset. Instead of spiraling, he said it pushed him toward a more grounded mindset and a deeper appreciation for others.
“You can be curious about other people,” he explained. “You can listen and you can be supportive, caring. You can witness them.”
“And I do believe that the rest of my life is to be curious and listen,” Danson added. “That’s the best thing I can offer.”
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The actor now meditates twice a day alongside his wife, Mary Steenburgen.
He also reflected on how the scare changed his daily habits and outlook.
“It just means, but you have experienced allowing so much pain to get to the joy and all that,” he said.
Danson revealed he has also made changes in his personal routine, including a new commitment to mindfulness.
“I’m meditating now twice a day with [my wife] Mary [Steenburgen,]… I've always talked about it and lied about it," the 78-year-old actor said.
The couple have been together for 30 years.
Danson and Steenburgen have been married for 30 years, and according to sources close to the couple, their relationship has stayed strong because of their shared appreciation for the little things.
A source told OK!, "They both had lives filled with glamorous possibilities, but what kept them together is the smallest stuff – the things ordinary couples do. They never thought they were too famous for the mundane."
The insider added that those simple routines became “threads that stitched them into one life, not two.”
The pair first met in 1994 while working on Pontiac Moon. At the time, both were coming out of major life transitions — Danson had just finalized his divorce from Casey Coates, while Steenburgen was raising her children following her separation from Malcolm McDowell.
Even so, their connection was instant, with both later saying the relationship felt easy from the very beginning.
