A new documentary titled “I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Not,” set to premiere on CNN on January 1, reveals a harrowing health crisis experienced by comedian Chevy Chase during the pandemic. Chase, now 82, suffered heart failure which led to him being placed in an induced coma for approximately eight days. This new information expands upon reports from 2021 that the comedian had spent five weeks hospitalized for undisclosed heart issues.

According to his daughter, Caley Chase, her father “has basically come back from the dead.” His wife, Jayni Chase, recounted the terrifying moment when “Something was wrong, and he couldn’t explain to me what was wrong. So, we go to the ER. His heart stops.” The documentary details that years of drinking contributed to Chase developing cardiomyopathy, a chronic disease where the heart muscles weaken, impairing their ability to pump blood effectively. This condition can lead to severe complications, including heart failure.

Peter Aaron, a longtime friend of Chase, disclosed the decision to induce an eight-day coma, noting its severe impact on the body. The medical team had given a grim prognosis, warning the family, “We might not get him back. We don’t know how present he’ll be. Prepare yourselves for the worst.” Upon waking, Caley described her father's disorientation, stating, “all he could do was use his voice,” imitating disoriented noises. However, a glimmer of his old self returned when a nurse attempted to rearrange medical equipment, prompting Chase to quip, “That’s what she said,” a classic comedic line that reassured his daughter.

The recovery process was extensive. Aaron noted that it took Chase a considerable amount of time to “reorient himself” after the coma, and he experienced