How Vanderpump Rules Alum Katie Maloney’s 25-Foot Fall Through A Skylight Changed Her Life
Katie Maloney was on Bravo’s Vanderpump Rules for 11 seasons, which made her an OG cast member. Viewers watched her navigate the ups and downs of her relationship with Tom Schwartz, including seeing them get married in Season 5, but ultimately calling it quits by Season 10.
And, while fans followed Katie and Tom’s roller coaster relationship, in Season 6, the former SUR restaurant server spoke openly about a more personal story after fans had wondered about the scar on her chin. Katie revealed that she had been in a horrible accident that nearly killed her in 2009.
Viewers saw her confide in Lisa Vanderpump and her then husband Tom about the incident and how it resulted in her having not only physical injuries, but mental injuries. However, sharing her story seemed to help her have a better outlook on life.
Katie Maloney Opened Up About The Horrific Accident That Almost Killed Her
Katie Shared Details Of Her Near-Fatal Fall In Season 6 Of Vanderpump Rules
In Season 6 of Vanderpump Rules, Katie Maloney shared the story of how she miraculously survived falling 25 feet through a skylight. The horrific accident occurred in November 2009 and left Katie with several injuries, both physical and mental.
In Episode 9, fans first learn about Katie’s fall when she confides in Lisa Vanderpump during a party about a guest who makes nasty and unwanted comments about her physical appearance.
“It was a little over 8 years ago, I had a pretty serious accident,” Katie shared in a confessional. The scene then switches over to a home video of Katie from 2009, which she took just days after her fall. The reality star had a large scar on her chin, her jaw wired shut, and missing teeth.
“My name is Kate Maloney, and I’m an actress. And by actress I mean, I’m a waitress. I had fallen through a skylight, fallen 25 feet down a flight of stairs. I’m wired shut… Everything’s been put into perspective.”
“When you cheat death, you can’t help but look at things differently.”
Later in the season, in Episode 19, Katie and Tom celebrate their first wedding anniversary. During their conversation, Katie admits that she “has come along way” after she dealt with PTSD and depression as a result of her terrifying incident.
“Before I was always positive, very confident, and after my accident, something just happened. I would get mad and angry, cause problems and fights.” After nearly a decade since her accident, Katie tells Tom that she felt a lot better about herself. “I feel so good. I feel like myself.”
The Day Of The Incident Is Her “Re-Birthday”
Katie Was Able To Heal From Her Physical Injuries, But Her Mental Injuries Took Years To Recover From
At the Season 6 reunion, Katie spoke more in-depth about the accident. She suffered several bodily injuries that could have ended her life. “I broke my shoulder, collar bone, pretty much all of my ribs, my jaw in two places, and I had a brain injury, a subdural hematoma, which is bleeding between the brain and what surrounds the brain, which is very serious.”
Her co-star, Brittany Cartwright reacted to Katie’s chilling story, telling her that she “couldn’t stop crying” when she watched her 2009 home video.
Katie had mentioned in Season 6 how her accident caused her to also have mental injuries that took years for her to recover from. When host Andy Cohen asked the reality star, “Do you think the accident affected your anger issues?” Katie replied, “Oh, 100%.”
“I ignored it and I didn’t want to talk about it to people, I didn’t want to talk about depression,” she said. However, she shared that she went through a journey of finally loving herself.
Katie Decided To Keep The Scar On Her Chin
The Reality Star Looked At Her Scar As A “Badge Of Honor”
In her Season 6, Episode 9 confessional, Katie shared that she decided to keep her scar as a reminder of her near-death experience and how it changed her outlook on life. The reality star said that she could have gone to a plastic surgeon to remove the scar, but “erasing that would have erased this pretty monumental moment in my life.”
“I like my scar, I think it gives me character, a badge of honor.”
She added, “I went through something crazy, but I’m still here.”
In a 2018 interview with Decider, Katie reflected on the season and how she was in a better place since her fall.
“I felt it change me. And it changed me in a lot of positive ways, but also there were some other parts I couldn’t quite get my head around and I just didn’t feel like myself for a long time. It was hard working through that on my own, maintaining a positive body image, a healthy body image in my mind. But I’m happier today, so that’s all that matters,” the star expressed.
