Jeff Bridges Finds New Purpose After Overcoming Health Struggles

Jeff Bridges has a new lease on life after beating cancer and COVID-19 and he savors every breath he takes.

As he recuperated in 2021 after his bout with Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and the pandemic, the “Big Lebowski” star says he enjoyed small things again, like watching butterflies and hummingbirds hovering around the fountain outside his garage.

In fact, the actor is even appreciative of his health problems.

“Life is constantly giving us gifts,” Jeff explains. “They may be gifts that we don’t think we want. Who wants cancer? Who wants COVID? Well, it turns out, I did. It’s a gift to realize that I’ve got eyes to look at all this beautiful stuff in the world. I can feel the temperature of the day on my skin. I’ve got a wife who loves me, my kids, too, and I can bathe in that love. It’s all a gift.”

The star just hit the big 75, which “still seems crazy to Jeff, but this milestone, because of his health issues from the past couple of years, is definitely more meaningful,” a friend confides. “Jeff has always been insightful, but he’s much more in tune with what’s important in life.”

Healthy again, the star went back to work, finishing the second season of “The Old Man,” an FX thriller in which he plays retired CIA agent Dan Chase.

Jeff also feels that with age came wisdom.

“It’s interesting,” he says. “New stuff comes up constantly as you get older. But it’s not like you’re learning new stuff. It’s more like you’re practicing how you respond to life. You kind of Jeff with wife Susan, along with daughters get to practice Harley (left) Jessica and Isabelle what you are.”