Mark Harmon as Gibbs and Pauley Perrette as Abby Sciuto on NCIS.

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‘NCIS’: Pauley Perrette Reveals She Had a Stroke Last Year

NCIS star Pauley Perrette revealed she had a stroke. Here's what the actor said about her life over the last two years and how she's grateful to still be alive.

by Sheiresa Ngo

Published on September 3, 2022

2 min read

Pauley Perrette’s stroke happened last year

Mark Harmon and Pauley Perrette | Sonja Flemming/CBS via Getty Images

Perrette opened up about the tough time she went through over the last two years. She posted a message on Twitter about having a stroke after the loss of her loved ones and enduring some traumatic experiences. Perrette says she is a survivor despite losing her father, cousin, and experiencing trauma.

“It’s September 2,” says Perrette in her Twitter video. “It’s the one-year anniversary since I had a stroke. And I’m still here. Yes, I’m still here again. Like, how many times do I cheat death? I almost died from a hair dye allergy. I have food allergies. I am a domestic violence and rape survivor. And I was assaulted by a crazy homeless person and almost died; and I’m still here.”

Perrette says she is “still so grateful, still so full of faith, and still here” after having a stroke. She thanked her friends for their support.

I’m truly, really grateful—especially for my rescue dogs,” continues Perrette. “And I’m here. I’m still here. I feel good. I’ve been through a lot in the last two years. Things that are harder than having a stroke. But I’m still here, and I’m so grateful. Thank you to those who are my friends. God bless you all.”

Pauley Perrette had a health scare during her time on ‘NCIS’

During a 2015 interview with Queen Latifah, Perrette spoke about her frightening experience after having an allergic reaction to hair dye. After dyeing her hair, she says she experienced severe facial swelling. Her head was also swollen.

Perrette wasn’t aware of how serious this type of allergy could be. She tweeted a photo of herself at the hospital so she could show how dangerous a hair dye allergy is.

“By the time I got to the hospital, half my head was this big, the other half of my head was this big, my eyes were swollen shut, and I was like, ‘People need to see this,’” says Perrette during her Queen Latifah interview. “As of now, we have black hair spray. So, I spray my hair black all the time.”

Pauley Perrette’s movies and TV shows

Perrette has been part of the entertainment industry since the early 90s. She made her acting debut in a 1994 ABC Afterschool Specials titled “Magical Make-Over.” She played the role of Shannon.

In 1996, Perrette landed a recurring role on the television series Murder One, in which she played the character Gwen until 1997. After that show ended, Perrette appeared on many TV shows, including Frasier, The Drew Carey Show, That’s Life, Dawson’s Creek, and Special Unit 2. Perrette rose to fame after joining the cast of NCIS in 2003.

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