Suzanne Somers Reveals Lessons She Learned After Breaking Her Neck, Learning to Walk Again

May 09, 2023

Suzanne Somers, the actress best known for playing Chrissy Snow in the popular 1970s sitcom "Three's Company," had an inspiring experience at 73 years old after surviving a neck injury. While under tremendous pain, she was determined to recover and walk again and also learned a valuable lesson amid her long road to recovery.

The actress recounted in an Instagram post in 2020 that she and her husband, Alan Hamel, had an "unfortunate fall" while going down the stairs of their home. Somers said that the pain from the injury did not go away, and a scan later revealed that two of her vertebrae were putting pressure on her spine's nerves. 

Somers then proceeded to get neck surgery to correct the displacement and alleviate the pain. The actress also had to follow a rehabilitation program so she could learn to walk again. Despite a challenging recovery, Somers found an opportunity to discover something she has never experienced before. 

The star from San Bruno, California, started acting in the late 1960s and appeared in a number of television programs playing bit roles. By 1977, however, Somers was cast as the ditzy blonde on "Three's Company," which became an instant hit with the ratings. It would become her most memorable work to date.

By 1991, Somers had a career renaissance on television when she was cast alongside Patrick Duffy in the family sitcom "Step by Step." She also launched a daytime talk show bearing her name. 

In 2001, the actress learned she had breast cancer and went with radiation and lumpectomy as her primary treatments instead of chemotherapy. By 2008, she became a staunch advocate for alternative treatments after doctors misdiagnosed her with inoperable cancer. 

Speaking exclusively with Closer Weekly in April 2023, Somers detailed her scary fall from 50 flights of stairs. Her husband was still able to grab hold of her, but the force was so strong that she heard her neck break. 

The actress, who is now a 76-year-old grandmother to six grandkids, confirmed that her recovery had been a stretch. However, given her other health challenges, Somers took this as "an opportunity to look for good" because negative thoughts have "no payoff." 

"I've learned so much about gratitude," the actress said. "I've discovered God through all this in a way that I've never discovered God before." 

In an interview with Fox News in 2020, Somers also said that she has always chosen to have a positive outlook when "life gives you the finger." 

"[I've always] taken the negatives in my life and chosen to make them work for me." 

After her neck surgery, Somers had to wear a neck collar and limit her movements so as not to strain her spine. However, she was cleared to take off her neck brace after three weeks. Her husband could not help but marvel at her strength and recovery and told Today that his wife could "endure extremely difficult situations" despite appearing like a fragile woman.  

Somers and Hamel have been married since 1977, but they were dating for several years before tying the knot. She met him when she was 20 years old and immediately knew that he was "the one" she would spend the rest of her life with. The couple raised three children – Bruce, Stephen and Leslie – when blended families were not yet the norm at that time.

Suzanne Somers advocates for the well-being of her body and mind. What can you say about her outlook about her recovery? Pass this story along to a friend or family who can relate to what the actress has gone through!