Phil Collins is opening up about one of the most difficult moments of his life, revealing that his family was called to his bedside during a life-threatening medical crisis in 2024 after doctors feared he might not survive.
In a new interview with The Sunday Times, the music legend said he was unconscious in a Swiss hospital when his manager contacted his five children — Lily, Joely, Simon, Nicolas and Matthew — because critical medical decisions could soon be required.
"Because there were some decisions to be made about ‘Do we keep Phil on life support?’ kind of thing," Collins said.
The singer explained that his kidneys and other organs were shutting down during the medical emergency.
"My kidneys were packing up, my organs were just seizing up," Collins said. "People were coming to say goodbye."
Although the experience was life-changing, Collins said he has little memory of those days in the hospital.
"I don't remember them coming," he said. "I didn't have no idea this was going on. They were all worried that they wouldn't see me again. It could all have gone so terribly wrong."
After recovering, Collins said he made a permanent change in his life by giving up alcohol.
"I was very lucky to have come out of that," he said. "Needless to say, I haven't had a drink since."
The recovery also allowed him to reconnect with his family.
Collins recalled spending meaningful time with his children after leaving the hospital, including an emotional moment with his daughter Lily.
"Lily was sitting beside me in tears, saying, 'I never thought I'd get these moments,'" Collins said. "We had an incredible time. I can't overemphasize how fantastic it was."
Collins acknowledged that his Health challenges have continued despite surviving the medical emergency.
Earlier this year, during an appearance on the BBC podcast "Eras," he said he relies on a full-time live-in nurse to help manage his medications and ongoing medical needs.
"I have a 24-hour, live-in nurse to make sure I take my medication as I should do," Collins said. "I've had challenges with my knee. I had everything that could go wrong with me, did go wrong with me."
The former Genesis drummer and frontman has spoken publicly for years about his battle with alcoholism.
In his 2016 autobiography, "Not Dead Yet," Collins described how retirement left him struggling with loneliness and alcohol dependence.
He wrote that having too much unstructured time led him to drinking, adding that it "nearly killed" him.
Now sober following his 2024 Health scare, Collins says surviving the ordeal gave him another chance to spend precious time with the people closest to him.