Ann-Margret, 85, Makes Rare Appearance Weeks After Breaking Elbow

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We love Ann-Margret, oh yes we do. 

Just a day after turning 85 on April 28th, the star of Bye Bye Birdie was recognized by the USO for her decades of support. She had previously traveled to Southeast Asia three times performing for troops with the organization.

Ann-Margret recently told Deadline that she loves performing for troops and has been touched by veterans approaching her years later to share their memories. They often tell her they saw her perform in Vietnam and Da Nang, and also express their enjoyment of her films like Bye Bye Birdie and Viva Las Vegas.

“Those tours and all my guys mean the world to me,” she added. “I remember all of them, all of them.”

Ann-Margret Olsson, the Academy Award nominee, received the USO Challenge Coin, making her only the second person to ever receive the honor. The first was legendary USO performer Bob Hope.

This event follows news that Ann-Margret, who was married to Roger Smith from 1967 until he passed away in 2017, suffered a serious injury in a fall at her home in Beverly Hills.

She recently told Parade magazine that she broke her right elbow in a fall. While it’s happened before, she says she doesn’t mean to fall, but it does! She’s taking it in stride.

The actress, known for her role in Tommy, was happy to share that she was definitely getting better.

Ann-Margret recently revealed that her latest fall wasn’t even the most serious one she’s experienced. She recalled a much more dangerous incident in 1972, when she fell 22 feet from a stage platform while preparing to perform at a casino in Lake Tahoe, Nevada.

My parents instilled in me a simple but powerful lesson: when you fall, you just get back up and start fresh. That’s always been their guiding principle, and it’s something I’ve carried with me throughout my life.

Despite recovering from the accident, Ann-Margret sustained several serious injuries, which she described in detail in her 1994 autobiography, Ann-Margret: My Story.

Oh my god, it was horrific. She said her face… it was just destroyed. Completely swollen and you wouldn’t even recognize her. So many broken bones, like, everywhere in her face, and her jaw was broken in two places! And her arm, too! The doctors actually thought she might not make it, and even if she did, they didn’t think she’d ever be able to dance again. It’s just… I can’t even imagine how terrifying that must have been for her.

Thankfully, she returned to the stage less than 10 weeks later and was almost completely healed. 

For more stars who have experienced their own health scares, keep reading.

Nikki Bella, known from Total Bellas, shared that one of her breast implants moved after being hit in the chest during a wrestling match with Piper Niven in July 2025.

She reassured her sister, Bella Garcia, saying they would get the issue resolved eventually. She explained to the doctor that as soon as she finished her current commitment, she’d return to address the problem and make everything look its best, because she planned to use them again and they needed to be in good condition.

Lupita Nyong’o received a diagnosis of uterine fibroids—non-cancerous growths in or around the womb—in 2014, the year she won an Academy Award for her acting.

Looking back, it took a lot of courage, but she finally shared what was going on with everyone in 2025. She wrote on Instagram that she’d been privately struggling with this for over ten years, and it was a huge weight off her shoulders to finally be open about it. It really highlights how long some people live with things before feeling able to speak up.

Growing up, I was always told that periods were supposed to hurt – that pain was just something women had to deal with. It felt like I was going through this really difficult experience all by myself, and it’s something so many of us face!

 

In July 2025, the actress from Daisy Jones & The Six revealed she was hospitalized for a hernia. This happens when a gap develops in the abdominal or groin muscles, and in her case, it was caused by wearing very tight pants.

Someone messaged Suki on X (formerly Twitter) asking why she hadn’t tweeted recently. Her reply was a humorous explanation: she revealed she’d injured herself six months prior by wearing extremely tight pants, resulting in a hernia, and had been hesitant to share the story.

The former star of Beverly Hills, 90210 shared in April 2025 that he was recovering from surgery to fix a nearly ruptured appendix.

Brian shared in an Instagram video that he recently experienced stomach pain, which led him to the emergency room. He explained that his appendix had a hole in it – it hadn’t fully burst, but was very close to doing so.

He added, “I’m on the road to recovery. It’s not an easy process. This is my first major surgery.”

During a soccer game against Seattle Reign on September 14th at Lumen Field in Seattle, a midfielder from Racing Louisville collapsed after only a few minutes of play.

According to Reuters, the U.S. Women’s National Team player was seen slowly sitting down on the field with a teammate supporting her, just before collapsing. Trainers were immediately called to assess her condition.

After receiving initial medical attention on the field, Savannah was taken to a nearby hospital for more tests, according to a statement from the National Women’s Soccer League. They reported that she is currently in stable condition and is alert.

Adam Devine revealed that he still feels the effects of injuries he suffered as a child when he was hit by a cement truck at age 11.

Let me tell you, the last year has been incredibly tough. I was dealing with these awful spasms all over my body, and honestly, doctors were telling me I was facing a life-threatening situation. It was a really scary time, and I’m still processing everything, but I’m thankfully doing better now.

He mentioned that his pain is intermittent, explaining that he has some physical imperfections and things aren’t quite right with his body.

A former contestant on The Bachelor went to the hospital because of severe back pain. He said he was in so much pain he could barely move and had to crawl on his hands and knees after the pain worsened during a road trip with a friend.

He described a strange tingling sensation that still lingered in his legs as of March 2025, sharing this on his Trading Secrets podcast. He explained that just a few weeks or a month prior, he was able to squat 295 pounds, but now he couldn’t even do a basic squat or stand on one leg without falling. He compared the feeling to having a stroke.

But with the help of a back specialist and some steroids, he added, “We’re on the mend.”

Gina Kirschenheiter, from The Real Housewives of Orange County, revealed that her ex-husband, Matt Kirschenheiter, had a heart attack in March 2025, but he is recovering well.

In March 2025, the actor from 30 Rock experienced a medical issue at a New York Knicks game and had to be taken out of Madison Square Garden in a wheelchair.

The comedian later posted on social media to explain he’d actually gotten food poisoning and was starting to feel better.

In February 2025, the former Even Stevens star revealed she was shot in the face during a birthday outing with her husband, Brendan Rooney. They were on a trip to go clay pigeon shooting when the incident occurred.

In an Instagram post, she explained that she was accidentally shot in the face by someone at a party who fired a weapon unsafely. Brendan Rooney quickly helped her, evaluated her injuries, and drove her to the hospital. She was hit five times, and one bullet came dangerously close to her right eye – less than an inch away.

The Kim Possible actress explained that a small piece of something got stuck behind her eye. Doctors have advised against removing it with surgery right now, but they will keep monitoring her vision, which is currently normal.

The actress expressed immense gratitude for surviving a frightening experience. She shared how much she cherishes her daughters, husband, family, and friends, explaining that going through a life-threatening moment made her realize how quickly things can change. She urged everyone to hug their loved ones often, emphasizing the importance of appreciating life and the people in it.

While the internet isn’t always a kind place, Amy Schumer is happy that, in this case, it helped her get answers.

“The internet really came for me after doing a bunch of press, and I was like, ‘OK everybody, relax,'” Amy recalled of her “puffier” face on a January 2025 episode of Call Her Daddy. “But then doctors were chiming in in the comments and they were like, ‘No no, we think something’s really up. Your face looks so crazy that we think something’s up. And I’m like, ‘Wait, I’m getting trolled by doctors?’”

After these doctors said they thought she had Cushing syndrome and that it may be caused by spiking coritsol levels or steroid injections, the Life & Beth creator thought, “Wait, I have been getting steroid injections in my scars.”

“I had a breast reduction, a C-section, whatever, and so I was getting these steroid injections,” Amy said. “So it gave me this thing called Cushing syndrome, which I wouldn’t have known if the internet hadn’t come for me so hard.”

Toda, Amy is just relieved she’s OK. As she shared in a February 2024 News Not Noise newsletter, “Finding out I have the kind of Cushing that will just work itself out and I’m healthy was the greatest news imaginable.”

In December 2024, an AHL player suffered a skate cut during a game and needed 25 stitches to close the wound. After his son made a full recovery, New Jersey Devils General Manager Tom Fitzgerald shared with ESPN how relieved they were, saying, “We feel very lucky, and no parent should have to go through that.”

In March 2022, Hailey Bieber experienced a frightening health scare while having breakfast with her husband, Justin Bieber. She suddenly developed stroke-like symptoms, initially unable to respond when Justin asked if she was okay. She then realized she couldn’t speak and the right side of her face began to droop.

Although the symptoms eventually subsided, Hailey went to the hospital where scans revealed she’d had a small blood clot travel to her brain, which doctors identified as a TIA (Transient Ischemic Attack).

Further testing at UCLA uncovered a hole in her heart called a patent foramen ovale (PFO). Doctors determined the blood clot had passed through this hole and traveled to her brain, causing the TIA.

Hailey underwent a successful procedure to close the PFO and is now doing well.

The same year Hailey faced a health issue, Justin also experienced one. In June 2022, he revealed he had been diagnosed with Ramsay Hunt syndrome, a condition that caused temporary paralysis on one side of his face. This forced him to cancel the remaining dates of his Justice World Tour.

In a video posted to Instagram, Justin explained the virus affected nerves in his ear and face, preventing him from blinking, smiling, or moving his nostril on the affected side. He also shared it was becoming increasingly difficult for him to eat.

Fortunately, the paralysis eventually went away. Hailey shared on Good Morning America that Justin was recovering well, and while the situation had been frightening, he was expected to make a full recovery. She expressed her gratitude that he was going to be okay.

Jamie Foxx recently shared details about the health scare he experienced in April 2023, which he had initially kept private. In his 2024 Netflix special, What Had Happened Was…, he explained that he suffered a severe headache one day while in Atlanta. Before he could even take an aspirin, he lost consciousness and doesn’t remember the next 20 days.

Initially, a doctor gave him a cortisone shot and sent him home, but his sister, Deidra Dixon, was worried and took him to the hospital. There, they discovered he had a brain bleed that caused a stroke.

After surgery, Jamie woke up in a wheelchair on May 4th, unable to walk. He then went to Chicago for rehabilitation and therapy. He expressed his gratitude for the prayers he received, saying, “I needed every prayer.”

The reality TV star shared that she briefly stopped breathing while running in the first challenge of the NBC competition show, describing the experience as feeling like ‘dying’.

She shared on the show Fit for TV: The Reality of The Biggest Loser that her memory of the event was fragmented. She recalled hearing a helicopter, feeling like she was floating, and then seeing her grandfather before everything went dark. After that, she saw light, which led her to realize she had died that day.

She explained that her organs were failing. She hadn’t known she had rhabdomyolysis, a condition where the body essentially begins to shut down.

Emilia Clarke, known for her role in Game of Thrones, revealed a harrowing health battle in a 2019 essay for The New Yorker. While filming the show, she experienced a severe headache while at the gym, which quickly escalated. She described collapsing and being violently ill, realizing something was seriously wrong with her brain.

A hospital scan revealed she had suffered a subarachnoid hemorrhage – a life-threatening stroke caused by a ruptured aneurysm. She underwent immediate surgery to repair it, but the pain was excruciating. During her recovery, she temporarily lost her ability to speak, often muttering incoherently.

After a week, her speech returned, and she was discharged from the hospital after a month. However, a 2013 scan revealed the aneurysm had grown, requiring a second surgery. This surgery was unsuccessful, leading to a major bleed and putting her life at risk. Doctors had to perform a more invasive procedure, accessing her brain directly through her skull.

Fortunately, Emilia reports that she has now made a full recovery and is at 100%.

Cori Broadus, Snoop Dogg’s daughter, recently shared how much she appreciates her family’s support. In January 2024, she suffered a stroke and immediately reached out to her loved ones, sending them a picture and a message. She told TopMob News that everyone quickly came to her aid.

Cori ended up staying in the hospital longer than expected due to other health issues. While she could have gone home after the stroke, she was also dealing with lupus and kidney problems.

Fortunately, Cori is now recovering well. She says she’s feeling great and has been working to regain some motor skills, but overall is doing fine.

Shailene Woodley struggled with significant health issues throughout her 20s. In a September 2024 podcast interview, she described a time when she was losing her hearing, couldn’t walk for more than a few minutes without needing to rest for hours, and experienced constant stomach pain. She faced conflicting diagnoses from different doctors and ultimately decided to take a holistic approach to finding answers, combining traditional medical care with alternative healing methods.

This health journey lasted for ten years and led to deeper issues, including fear of food and struggles with body image and identity. Woodley explained that the constant physical discomfort triggered a complex mental and emotional experience.

Fortunately, after years of focusing on both her physical and mental wellbeing, Shailene is now healthy and feeling much better. She’s grateful to be able to share that she has fully recovered.

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2026-05-01 00:48