AceShowbiz - Khloé Kardashian opens up in Netflix’s documentary Untold: The Death & Life of Lamar Odom about the harrowing challenges she faced during her marriage to former NBA star Lamar Odom. The film premiered on March 31 and provides an intimate look at the dark realities behind their relationship, including Odom’s intense drug addiction, infidelity, and their eventual divorce.

The documentary traces Odom’s life before and after he married Kardashian when she was 41 years old. Soon after their wedding, Kardashian discovered the severity of Odom’s substance abuse, which led to devastating health crises including six heart attacks and 12 strokes. Their whirlwind romance began with just one month of dating before they got engaged in 2009. Later that year, they married, but four years on, Kardashian filed for divorce.

Their relationship faced a major turning point when Odom was found comatose due to an overdose at a legal brothel in Nevada. Following his recovery, Kardashian resumed the divorce proceedings. Despite their separation, the two have since reunited publicly to confront their past on Hulu’s The Kardashians and through Untold: The Death & Life of Lamar Odom.

How Khloé Kardashian and Lamar Odom First Met

According to Khloé Kardashian, their initial meeting was somewhat unexpected. Metta World Peace (formerly Ron Artest), a former teammate of Lamar Odom, organized a party in Los Angeles and paid Kardashian $5,000 to attend. At the time, Kardashian accepted the invitation partly because of her brother, Robert Kardashian. Before this event, she did not know who Odom was.

Kardashian recalled noticing Odom carrying a plastic bag and teasing him about it, suspecting it held condoms, but it turned out to be filled with candy. Odom’s memory of the encounter was more direct: he admitted to trying to initiate intimacy right away, but Kardashian set boundaries, stating it wasn’t that kind of party. They ended up spending several consecutive days together after the initial meeting.

Lamar Odom’s Desire for Reality TV Fame

Kardashian shared that Odom was enthusiastic about being in front of the camera. She recalled a photo shoot where she told him he’d need to leave before the crew arrived, but he questioned why he had to go. It was reportedly Odom’s idea to create their spinoff reality show, Khloé & Lamar. However, Kardashian was hesitant, concerned it might affect the Kardashian family brand due to an already heavy TV presence. She also reminded Odom of his primary career with the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Depth of Lamar Odom’s Drug Addiction

Odom reflected on his first experience with cocaine, which happened with a woman and her husband. Initially, Kardashian did not grasp how serious his drug issues had become, thinking it was recreational. It was about two years into their marriage when Odom disappeared for a time, prompting Kardashian to fear something had happened to him.

When he returned, Odom attributed his struggles to the death of his infant son, Jayden. This revelation marked a turning point for Kardashian, as she realized the addiction was far darker and more serious than she had experienced or understood before.

Lamar Odom’s Infidelity Comes to Light

Odom admitted that Kardashian first found out about his cheating through a phone call from the woman he was involved with at the time. He described being high during a trip to Big Bear, California, when the woman took his phone and contacted Kardashian. Kardashian’s version of events matched closely, explaining that the woman informed her about Odom’s drug use and infidelity, asking her to come pick him up.

Kardashian confessed she always had suspicions but had never possessed concrete proof of Odom’s unfaithfulness until then.

The Escalation of Odom’s Addiction

Kardashian detailed how Odom’s drug use worsened significantly in the latter years of their marriage. She described numerous occasions when he would disappear for hours or days, escaping rehab and entering drug binges that left him unreachable. She recounted looking for him in alleys and motels, discovering drug paraphernalia such as tinfoil and spoons, and even needing to clean hotel rooms after him.

She admitted to unknowingly enabling his addiction by trying to protect him and maintain appearances. Odom’s drug abuse became especially severe after he was traded to the Dallas Mavericks. She described the situation as “monstrous,” with Odom freebasing painkillers and isolating himself in hotel bathrooms for days, losing all sense of time and often appearing incoherent due to being high.

Why Khloé Kardashian Kept Odom’s Addiction a Secret

Kardashian explained her decision to keep Odom’s drug problems private was motivated by concern for his career and their shared future. When she confronted the reality of his addiction, Odom insisted she not tell anyone, fearing he would lose everything, including their home. At the time, Kardashian was only 24 years old and still finding her own footing in life, with the family show Keeping Up with the Kardashians ongoing but not yet highly lucrative.

She described the emotional toll of holding these secrets, fueled by youth and a deep love for Odom. Kardashian said she rationalized his behavior by understanding his troubled family background, including his father’s heroin addiction. She felt compelled to try and “fix” him through love, fighting daily to protect him from exposure and maintain his public image.

Kardashian revealed that Odom’s drug use worsened when he was off-season, leading to multiple overdoses. She had to perform emergency measures like pumping his stomach in private and sought out detox centers and home help to aid his recovery. Despite their struggles and separation, their story is one of complicated love, pain, and resilience as they continue to address their past through public platforms.

Through Untold: The Death & Life of Lamar Odom and other media appearances, Khloé Kardashian and Lamar Odom have shed light on the realities behind the headlines, revealing the human side of addiction and the impact it had on their marriage and lives.