Tatum O’Neal’s Son’s Powerful Mother’s Day Post: ‘You Were My Mom, Until Your Boyfriend Gave You Heroin'

Tatum O’Neal‘s son, Kevin McEnroe, is opening up about his relationship with his mother.

O’Neal, 62, rose to fame as a child with her star turn in Paper Moon, the 1973 American road comedy-drama directed by Peter Bogdanovich. The daughter of actor Ryan O’Neal, she was so successful in the role that she won an Academy Award at age 10. She went on to roles in films like the teen flick Little Darlings and The Bad News Bears, but struggled in subsequent years with personal problems, including widely-reported addiction issues and a fractured marriage to tennis star John McEnroe.

In a new Mother’s Day essay for The Small Bow, Kevin opened up about the impact of his mother’s addiction and alcoholism, and ultimately, dealing with his own addiction issues.

“When I was little, you were my mom, until your boyfriend gave you heroin. You were my mom when you were clean, between rehabs, but then sometimes you were Tatum, too,” McEnroe shared, noting that he often referred to his mother by her first name. “Tatum used to leave in the middle of the night and sometimes not come back before morning. Tatum didn’t have a choice.”

Her Debilitating Stroke

O’Neal suffered a severe stroke in 2020 when she overdosed on pills in her Century City apartment. Dealing with chronic pain from rheumatoid arthritis, her doctor had prescribed her morphine, O’Neal recalled to Variety. Ultimately, the stroke forced her to fall into a coma for about six weeks. When she woke up, she was unable to talk, walk, or see.

In the essay, McEnroe shared that his mother resumed drinking after the stroke.

“You couldn’t read when you got out of the coma, but you started drinking again,” McEnroe wrote.

O’Neal Triumphs at Her Son’s Wedding

In June 2025, O’Neal showed how far she’s come when she gave a speech at Kevin’s wedding to actress Fern Cozine. The moment was a tremendous triumph for O’Neal, considering she nearly died just a few years before.

“My mother — who suffered a stroke in 2020 that left her temporarily nonverbal and immobile, but who fought her way back with grit and, at times, a kind of abridged elegance — got up and gave a speech,” Kevin told Vogue. “She thanked my father and stepmother for having her, told a bit of her wild life story, which she can’t seem to help, but also spoke of a future filled with love, hope, and joy. She was brave and gracious, and I was proud of her for doing so.”

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Beaming Alongside Her Daughter, Emily

While O’Neal has struggled to get her strength back following her 2020 stroke, a photo posted to her Instagram in February showed she seems to be doing great. Smiling brightly alongside her daughter, Emily, O’Neal sported a pair of glasses and rosy cheeks as she held up the camera for a selfie. After everything O’Neal has been through, it’s great to see her feeling healthy again.

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