WASHINGTON — Aaron Sorkin has revealed he suffered a stroke last year while writing the Broadway revival of "Camelot."
The "West Wing" creator and Oscar-winning writer shared the details of his medical emergency during an interview with the New York Times.
Sorkin explained that he woke up in the middle of the night back in November and kept crashing into walls and corners while walking around his house. He didn't think anything of it until the next morning when he kept spilling orange juice.
The "Being the Ricardos" director said his doctor told him to come in immediately and said that his blood pressure was so high "you're supposed to be dead." His doctor told him he had suffered a stroke.
Sorkin explained to the Times that for about a month after, he was slurring his words, had trouble typing and couldn't sign his name. While he says those issues are behind him now, he still can't really taste food.
"Mostly it was a loud wake-up call," Sorkin, who had been a heavy smoker since high school, recounted in the interview. "I thought I was one of those people who could eat whatever he wanted, smoke as much as he wanted, and it's not going to affect me. Boy, was I wrong."
The stroke led him to quit smoking, improve his diet and begin working out consistently.
The "To Kill a Mockingbird" playwright said he was going public with news of his stroke in the hopes that his experience may serve as a cautionary tale and get others to stop smoking.
Sorkin also revealed he was scared he'd never be able to write again and was concerned he wasn't going to be able to finish writing "Camelot." Thankfully, he has improved and the musical is now in previews at the Lincoln Center.
