STARS WHO CHEATED DEATH

Donald Sutherland

In 1979, a bout of meningitis almost ended the life of this thespian legend. "Suddenly the pain, fever and acute distress seemed to evaporate. I was floating above my body, surrounded by soft blue light. I began to glide down a long tunnel, away from the bed ... but suddenly I found myself back in my body. The doctors told me later that I had actually died for a time."

Photo by Wire Images Jun 28, 2012

STARS WHO CHEATED DEATH

50 Cent just can't get a break. Having previously survived nine bullets in his body, he was in the hospital again this week after being rear-ended by a semi-trailer. The reformed bad boy rapper isn't the only celebrity to have a close call with death though. Click through the gallery to see which other stars, rattled and shaken, have thought of 'memento mori'.