Tatum O’Neal Walks With Cane at Son’s Wedding After Stroke — Fans React to ‘Touching’ Photos

Photos shared by Tatum O’Neal on July 20, 2025, captured moments from her son Kevin McEnroe’s wedding to Fern Cozine, held a month earlier in Calistoga, California. Smiling and steadying herself with a cane after suffering a stroke in 2020, O’Neal’s appearance stirred powerful emotional responses from fans who praised her grace, spirit, and strength.

The images shared on Instagram depicted a series of beautiful and emotional moments from the ceremony. In one photo, the 61-year-old stands between Kevin and Fern, all three smiling warmly at the camera as she holds her son’s hand firmly.

Another image shows her from behind, embracing Kevin with one arm while gripping her cane in the other; Fern stands nearby, clapping joyfully.

A separate shot shows the actress mid-step, walking with her cane while extending her free arm, as if to steady herself.

One joyful moment captures Tatum smiling brightly while walking beside her other son, Sean McEnroe, and behind them is her daughter, Emily McEnroe, whom she shares with tennis legend John McEnroe.

In another frame, she appears to be delivering a speech — cane in hand — while the bride and groom laugh at her words.

A softly lit photograph shows Tatum embracing Fern, whose face is the only one visible in the frame. In another image, they appear just about to hug, both grinning, as guests in the background beam with happiness.

One of the most intimate images shows Tatum, once again holding her cane but leaning gently on Kevin’s shoulder, while he rests his chin tenderly on her head.

And in perhaps the most joyful moment, Kevin is seen pulling his mother up from a chair — possibly to dance — with both looking blissful.

These heartfelt moments resonated with fans, who quickly took to the comments section. One person gushed about the entire post, “Stunning…you’re gorgeous and the couple are just beautiful what a perfect bride and gorgeous wedding gown [sic].”

Another commented, “Ok that last one made me cry😢 You’re sober and present!!!!! God bless [sic]!!!!” One message read, “Hope u are ok Tatum [sic].” Another admirer wrote, “Thank you so much for sharing these intimate photos. As a fellow person with disabilities, your courageous and spirit always moves me [sic].”

One shared, “Ohhhh the most touching photos you all look lovely and Ferns dress is soooo romantic and perfect,,,,it all looked perfect ❤️🌻⚘️✨️✌️❤️ [sic].”

A simple yet heartfelt remark declared, “Oh and Tatum, you’re an ageless beauty ❤️.” Another person wrote, “I must admit these are lovely photos and you all look happy. The bride is very pretty. Your son shines and you look serene and at peace! Where is his father? And Ryan would be there in Spirit [sic].”

And one comment summed up the overall sentiment, “These are stunningly beautiful. 🤍 It is heartwarming to see you so happy with your beautiful children.”

While the reactions centered on the love and joy shown in the photos, there was also a detail that quietly reflected a longer journey of resilience and recovery. The cane Tatum was using became a necessity after her 2020 overdose in her Century City apartment, which led to a life-altering stroke.

At the time, she had been prescribed pain medication for her rheumatoid arthritis by a doctor who wasn’t aware of her history with addiction. This, coupled with the isolation of the COVID-19 lockdown, led her to a dark point where she didn’t want to live, despite having loving children.

“I love them so much, but I’d already given so much,” she said in an interview with Variety in February 2025. “Part of me just didn’t want to make it, you know?”

Afterward, the actress was in a coma for six weeks, and many doctors told Kevin that she would probably remain in a vegetative state. But he didn’t believe them.

“There’s something in her that you can’t explain — that perseveres through even horrible situations she put herself in,” said Kevin, who had flown in from New York to support his mother for the interview.

He was right. Still, the recovery included several hospitals and even memory care institutions, which helped with her post-stroke rehab.

She has since lived in a retirement community in the Valley, where she was able to swim, ride bikes, go to the gym, and be with friends. Additionally, this past January, she had neck surgery.

Aside from her interview, Tatum also took photos for the Variety issue, where she posed with her Best Supporting Actress Oscar, which she won for “Paper Moon” in 1974.

As she smiled for the camera, her son exclaimed, “You look like a movie star!” to which she responded with an “I love you.”

That shared moment of love and pride mirrored what was to come just a few months later, when Kevin and Fern’s wedding brought the entire family together. On July 14, Vogue Weddings highlighted other amazing moments from this occasion on Instagram.

The caption also explained that Fern walked down the aisle to the song “Take Care” by Beach House, while Kevin waited for her under a century-old walnut tree.

“I felt like the luckiest guy alive,” he told Vogue. “I was marrying the woman of my dreams—and I’d never seen her look more beautiful. My mother, father, and stepmother were all there, together and in harmony, which hadn’t been the case in many years.”

He added that the moment “felt like a miracle,” especially because it wasn’t just about them as a couple, but about everyone in their families.

Meanwhile, the couple, who originally got engaged back in November 2023, uploaded some photos to their personal social media accounts. Kevin posted his on July 14, showing several moments with his bride, the family, and even a photo with his father and brother.

The caption reads, “Yours, forever, @ferncozine Thank you my fam I love you so [sic].” Fern took a few more days to post her own images, which came on July 19 with the caption reading, “So many perfect little moments.”

All that joy and togetherness made even more sense in light of what Tatum O’Neal had shared earlier, when she posted a photo on July 4 with the caption, “Glad to be alive 😘.”