--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was dying but suddenly had a second…" description: "\"I was dying but suddenly had a second chance at living.\" — Shelley Fabares" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27f/shelley-fabares-32698_chance_i-was-dying-but-suddenly-had-a-second-ch_2923773.jpg" --- # I was dying but suddenly had a second chance at living. ![“I was dying but suddenly had a second chance at living.” quote by Shelley Fabares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27f/shelley-fabares-32698_chance_i-was-dying-but-suddenly-had-a-second-ch_2923773.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27f/shelley-fabares-32698_chance_i-was-dying-but-suddenly-had-a-second-ch_2923773.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27f/shelley-fabares-32698_chance_i-was-dying-but-suddenly-had-a-second-ch_2923773.jpg) > “I was dying but suddenly had a second chance at living.” [Shelley Fabares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelley-fabares/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A near‑death experience gave the speaker a renewed chance at life, highlighting gratitude and second chances. **In simple terms:** Second chances inspire gratitude. Key Takeaway Cherish renewed life opportunities. Themes mortality renewal gratitude resilience Mood hopeful inspirational Type personal motivational When to use this quote - health crises - career pivots - personal growth Key Concepts personal transformation spiritual awakening Questions to Reflect On - How does near‑death reshape priorities? - What actions honor a second chance? A Different Perspective Not all survive to get second chances. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) [Chance Living](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance-living-880763/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Dying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dying/) [Dying Suddenly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dying-suddenly-3787385/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Second chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/second-chance/) [Suddenly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suddenly/) [Suddenly Second](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suddenly-second-4274050/) ## Related quotes > [“What is the charm in dying when we fully well know that we are not going to get another chance at living?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geetha-tg/what-is-the-charm-in-dying-when-we-fully-well-know-that-we-are-not/) [Geetha TG](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geetha-tg/) > [“Anytime you hear of anyone dying suddenly, it ought to ensure you appreciate the need to live suddenly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/anytime-you-hear-of-anyone-dying-suddenly-it-ought-to-ensure-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“But in dying so suddenly her mother had become a riddle at the gate instead of the road you walked to get there.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-kallos/but-in-dying-so-suddenly-her-mother-had-become-a-riddle-at-the-gate/) [Stephanie Kallos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-kallos/) > [Children born today have a fifty-fifty chance of living to 100.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-greider/children-born-today-have-a-fifty-fifty-chance-of-living-to-100/) [William Greider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-greider/) > [This fathering is a man's second chance at living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelo-patri/this-fathering-is-a-man-s-second-chance-at-living/) [Angelo Patri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelo-patri/) > [“Life happens to everyone who takes a chance on living.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-mckay/life-happens-to-everyone-who-takes-a-chance-on-living/) [Audrey McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-mckay/) > [“Yes, we live, or we're given the chance to, at least, but sometimes living is hard and complicated because of fear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-silvera/yes-we-live-or-we-re-given-the-chance-to-at-least-but-sometimes/) [Adam Silvera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-silvera/) > [The cost of living's going up, and the chance of living's going down!..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flip-wilson/the-cost-of-living-s-going-up-and-the-chance-of-living-s-going-down/) [Flip Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flip-wilson/) > [The cost of living is going up and the chance of living is going down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flip-wilson/the-cost-of-living-is-going-up-and-the-chance-of-living-is-going-down/) [Flip Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flip-wilson/) > [America's greatest strength, and its greatest weakness, is our belief in second chances, our belief that we can always start over, that things can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-walton/america-s-greatest-strength-and-its-greatest-weakness-is-our-belief/) [Anthony Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-walton/) > [We need to have more second chance programs. I'm glad that we're ending private prisons in the federal system; I want to see them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/we-need-to-have-more-second-chance-programs-i-m-glad-that-we-re/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [“I never thought I'd get a second chance at a first time with you”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-andrews/i-never-thought-i-d-get-a-second-chance-at-a-first-time-with-you/) [Amy Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-andrews/) > [We seal our fate with the choices we take, but don't give a second thought to the chances we take.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-estefan/we-seal-our-fate-with-the-choices-we-take-but-don-t-give-a-second/) [Gloria Estefan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-estefan/) > [I'm a hard-ass when it comes to my work, and I'm not scared to take risks. On a social level, I'm not hard at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milla-jovovich/i-m-a-hard-ass-when-it-comes-to-my-work-and-i-m-not-scared-to-take/) [Milla Jovovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milla-jovovich/) > [I just like stories about redemption about getting a second chance at life, I think everyone in the world has a few major mistakes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvester-stallone/i-just-like-stories-about-redemption-about-getting-a-second-chance-at/) [Sylvester Stallone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvester-stallone/) ## More by Shelley Fabares > [I think the years on 'The Donna Reed Show,' the years from 14 to 19, were so incredibly important. Donna Reed was simply an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelley-fabares/i-think-the-years-on-the-donna-reed-show-the-years-from-14-to-19-were/) [Shelley Fabares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelley-fabares/) > [I can't think of my life without Donna Reed. She has been such an enormous influence on my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelley-fabares/i-can-t-think-of-my-life-without-donna-reed-she-has-been-such-an/) [Shelley Fabares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelley-fabares/) > [They had to match blood type and meet all sorts of things I don't know about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelley-fabares/they-had-to-match-blood-type-and-meet-all-sorts-of-things-i-don-t/) [Shelley Fabares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelley-fabares/) > [I waited with a beeper for a year and 10 months to get that gift.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelley-fabares/i-waited-with-a-beeper-for-a-year-and-10-months-to-get-that-gift/) [Shelley Fabares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelley-fabares/) > [I had to have a complete liver transplant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelley-fabares/i-had-to-have-a-complete-liver-transplant/) [Shelley Fabares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelley-fabares/) > [There is a bedrock decency to people in the Midwest. They are thoughtful and ready to help you if something needs to be done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelley-fabares/there-is-a-bedrock-decency-to-people-in-the-midwest-they-are/) [Shelley Fabares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelley-fabares/) > [This is the kind of situation that can tear people apart. It tears at the fabric of your soul and can certainly tear at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelley-fabares/this-is-the-kind-of-situation-that-can-tear-people-apart-it-tears-at/) [Shelley Fabares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelley-fabares/) > [I was not a Mouseketeer, but a lot of people think I was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelley-fabares/i-was-not-a-mouseketeer-but-a-lot-of-people-think-i-was/) [Shelley Fabares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelley-fabares/) > [One can't change one's life experience, but even if I could, I wouldn't change it because of all the wonderful things that have happened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelley-fabares/one-can-t-change-one-s-life-experience-but-even-if-i-could-i-wouldn-t/) [Shelley Fabares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelley-fabares/) > [The chances of a child coming through as I did... the world is too hard. On the other hand, I would always encourage children…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelley-fabares/the-chances-of-a-child-coming-through-as-i-did-the-world-is-too-hard/) [Shelley Fabares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelley-fabares/) > [I didn't have a dysfunctional childhood or young adulthood, but I was somebody who was very much raised to do what other people told…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelley-fabares/i-didn-t-have-a-dysfunctional-childhood-or-young-adulthood-but-i-was/) [Shelley Fabares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelley-fabares/) > [We need to appreciate how precious life is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelley-fabares/we-need-to-appreciate-how-precious-life-is/) [Shelley Fabares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelley-fabares/) > [I had to have a complete liver transplant. I waited with a beeper for a year and 10 months to get that gift.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelley-fabares/i-had-to-have-a-complete-liver-transplant-i-waited-with-a-beeper-for/) [Shelley Fabares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelley-fabares/) > [It's a terrifying thing to be perhaps 16 or 17 and feel like you are a failure and a has-been.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelley-fabares/it-s-a-terrifying-thing-to-be-perhaps-16-or-17-and-feel-like-you-are/) [Shelley Fabares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelley-fabares/) [Explore all 15 Shelley Fabares quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelley-fabares/) ## More Chance quotes > [Before I debuted, it was my goal to make my debut, and afterwards, I aimed at winning champion titles on television music shows, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hyuna/before-i-debuted-it-was-my-goal-to-make-my-debut-and-afterwards-i/) [Hyuna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hyuna/) > [I understand it's promotion, but no one ever gave me a chance. No one ever thought I'd be the champ, and look where I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stipe-miocic/i-understand-it-s-promotion-but-no-one-ever-gave-me-a-chance-no-one/) [Stipe Miocic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stipe-miocic/) > [I might, by chance, write something just as shoddy; But then I wouldn't show it to everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moliere/i-might-by-chance-write-something-just-as-shoddy-but-then-i-wouldn-t/) [Moliere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moliere/) > [When I get a chance to play golf or go on a boat with good people, take the boat out and put some lobsters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-mac/when-i-get-a-chance-to-play-golf-or-go-on-a-boat-with-good-people/) [Bernie Mac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-mac/) > [The happy medium is television. And if you find a good suitor, you can do it for years. With movies, you roll the dice.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-campbell/the-happy-medium-is-television-and-if-you-find-a-good-suitor-you-can/) [Bruce Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-campbell/) > [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/) [Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/) > [I have heard that if you pull a bent breath through the second hole of a harmonica tuned to the key of Georgia while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buddy-wakefield/i-have-heard-that-if-you-pull-a-bent-breath-through-the-second-hole/) [Buddy Wakefield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buddy-wakefield/) > [There are times when we can feel destiny close around us like a fist around a doorknob. Sure, we can resist. But a knob…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/there-are-times-when-we-can-feel-destiny-close-around-us-like-a-fist/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [Pain held no terror for him. Pain was, if not friend, then family, something he had grown up with in his crèche, learning to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-bacigalupi/pain-held-no-terror-for-him-pain-was-if-not-friend-then-family/) [Paolo Bacigalupi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-bacigalupi/) > [Love changes people, for better or for worse. You could look at it as a chance for you to change. The best kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-changes-people-for-better-or-for-worse-you-could-look-at-it-as-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“It's not who, it's when”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-taubas/it-s-not-who-it-s-when/) [Alejandro Taubas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-taubas/) > [Childhood is Last Chance Gulch for happiness. After that, you know too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/childhood-is-last-chance-gulch-for-happiness-after-that-you-know-too/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [I thought my first few jobs would just be off, off, off, off, off broadway. And by chance and how the world works, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-dorfman/i-thought-my-first-few-jobs-would-just-be-off-off-off-off-off/) [Tommy Dorfman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-dorfman/) > [If you’re worrying about the past, you’ve got a good chance of screwing up the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-a-tullman/if-you-re-worrying-about-the-past-you-ve-got-a-good-chance-of/) [Howard A. Tullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-a-tullman/) > [To be successful, one must take chances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-stargell/to-be-successful-one-must-take-chances/) [Willie Stargell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-stargell/) [Browse all 12,460 Chance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was dying but suddenly had a second chance at living.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Shelley Fabares" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelley-fabares/i-was-dying-but-suddenly-had-a-second-chance-at-living/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Chance" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelley-fabares/i-was-dying-but-suddenly-had-a-second-chance-at-living/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27f/shelley-fabares-32698_chance_i-was-dying-but-suddenly-had-a-second-ch_2923773.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27f/shelley-fabares-32698_chance_i-was-dying-but-suddenly-had-a-second-ch_2923773.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27f/shelley-fabares-32698_chance_i-was-dying-but-suddenly-had-a-second-ch_2923773.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I was dying but suddenly had a second chance at living.” — Shelley Fabares", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Shelley Fabares", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelley-fabares/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I was dying but suddenly had...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelley-fabares/i-was-dying-but-suddenly-had-a-second-chance-at-living/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelley-fabares/i-was-dying-but-suddenly-had-a-second-chance-at-living/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```