Stone: My near-death experience

Stone is making a full recovery

Basic Instinct star Sharon Stone has told how she had a "white light experience" during her brain scare last year.

Stone says she almost died after internal bleeding caused by a tear in an artery at the base of her skull.

She was rushed to hospital by her husband Phil Bronstein after suffering "severe head pains" at her home in San Francisco.

I certainly had a white light experience, had a real close walk there

Sharon Stone

Doctors initially thought she was suffering from an aneurysm or a brain haemorrhage.

She now has a clean bill of health, although she still suffers some headaches as she makes her way to a full recovery.

And the Oscar-nominated actress has been honoured after being chosen for the judging panel at this year's Cannes film festival.

But Stone revealed she even had a near-death experience during last October's illness.

Riding accident

"I certainly had a white light experience, had a real close walk there. It's really nice to be alive," she told USA Today in her first full interview since the ordeal.

"We think it's possible that it was an injury from a horseback riding accident, made worse by chiropractic adjustments."

The 44-year-old said wearing heavy diving gear in the 1998 movie Sphere could also have affected her.

Stone danced with John Travolta at the Oscars

"It was a very painful journey to have that, and it's been a long and arduous journey back."

But she said her recovery had been a "peaceful and lovely thing".

Her first public appearance since her scare came at last month's Oscars where she presented an award with John Travolta.

"A lot of people didn't know if I could walk or talk, let alone dance. So to let the Emperor Travolta twirl me was perfect.

"People were, 'Hey, she walks, she talks, she twirls'. It was a sweet, lovely way to come back."

Stone, who has one child, is due to receive the Global Conference Institute's Healthcare Humanitarian Award 2002 for her efforts in the battle against Aids in Chicago on Monday night.