The severity of Chase’s condition is revealed in new CNN documentary.

Chevy Chase put into an 8-day coma following 2021 heart failure: ‘Had basically come back from the dead’

The severity of Chase's condition is revealed in new CNN documentary.

By Jordan Hoffman

Jordan Hoffman

Jordan Hoffman is a writer at **, mostly covering nostalgia. He has been writing about entertainment since 2007.

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December 26, 2025 5:35 p.m. ET

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Chevy Chase photographed in 2017. Credit:

Mireya Acierto/Getty

Funnyman Chevy Chase wasn't laughing in 2021, when he was revived from the dead, a new documentary reveals.

"He has basically come back from the dead," Chase's daughter Caley Chase says, when explaining why her father "doesn't remember certain things," in *I'm Chevy Chase and You're Not*, which debuts on CNN on Jan. 1.

While news of Chevy's hospitalization did come out at the time, the degree of its severity was not known. In the film, Caley and Chevy's wife, Jayni Chase, share more surprising details about the actor's health scare.

Chevy Chase in 2018.

Jim Spellman/WireImage

"He had heart failure," Caley continues.

In a separate interview, Jayni explains that her husband felt "something was wrong, but he couldn't explain what was wrong." During a visit to the ER, the *Caddyshack* star's heart stopped.

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Jayni continues, "During those years he was drinking, he got cardiomyopathy." She explains that with weakened heart muscles, the heart can't pump as much blood with each beat.

Chevy's longtime pal Peter Aaron says the decision was made to put him into a coma, which lasted eight days. "That's pretty rough on the body," Aaron adds.

Caley says, "The doctor had warned us we might not get him back: 'We don’t know how present he’ll be. Prepare yourselves for the worst.' He woke up, all he could do was use his voice.”

She imitates the unusual sounds he made, which she describes as a "new birth." Later, when a nurse came in to "switch some stuff up" and said she had to "put this in here," Chevy joked, "That's what she said," to the relief and amazement of his daughter.

The documentary chronicles the life and career of the contentious comedian and three-time Emmy winner from his musician days (including an early association with Steely Dan), his time at *Saturday Night Live, *his successful films like *Seems Like Old Times *and *Fletch*, to a revival of sorts on the series *Community*. The film also boasts new interviews with Goldie Hawn, Martin Short, Garrett Morris, and many others.

Chevy Chase in 2025.

Jamie McCarthy/Peacock via Getty

As a result of the incident, Chase suffers from memory gaps, which becomes something of a hurdle in the film when director Marina Zenovich probes Chase on his reputation for being difficult, particular incidents with *SNL *performer Terry Sweeney, and the conclusion of his work on *Community*.

Elsewhere in the film, Chase says it was a mistake for him to leave *Saturday Night Live *midway through its second season and pursue a film career. He also says he was hurt that he was excluded from the big *SNL50 *celebration in early 2025.

Zenovich's previous celebrity documentary subjects include Robin Williams, Roman Polanski, Richard Pryor, Lance Armstrong, theater director Robert Wilson, politician Jerry Brown, and hijacker D.B. Cooper.**

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