Mariska Hargitay Opens Up on Her Terrifying Illness

“I began to panic…I was so scared.”

Mariska Hargitay is finally talking about the serious health scare that plagued her earlier this year in the new issue of Redbook.

The actress suffered a collapsed lung after a stunt went wrong on set of ‘Law & Order: SVU.’

Hargitay, who often does her own stunts, jumped and fell in an awkward way. “I got up and felt that something inside was not quite right,” she says.

An x-ray revealed her lung was 50% collapsed in January and, in a rare occurrence, the lung collapsed again on March 5th. After two hospitalizations, Hargitay is now fully recovered.

“I had so much to lose, so much to live for,” Hargitay says. “I have so many blessings, and I’ve learned from all of my experiences and my losses.”

Hargitay and her on-screen partner Chris Meloni recently re-signed new contracts to keep them with the ‘Law & Order’ franchise. How much longer will Benson and Stabler be crimesolving?

More on These Topics: Christopher Meloni | Law Order SVU | Mariska Hargitay