Emily in Paris stars are back at work — with a very notable absence. Ashley Park, who plays Mindy, is recovering from a serious health scare and has yet to rejoin the cast for Season 4 production. She shared an update on Instagram on Jan. 19 that revealed she’s still recovering after battling a critical illness while traveling over the new year.
Critical Septic Shock
Park got sick while she was on vacation at the end of December and early January. At first, she had a relatively minor illness, but it got drastically worse. “What started as tonsillitis spiraled into critical septic shock, which infected and affected several of my organs,” she wrote, in part.
Septic shock is the most severe stage of sepsis, and it occurs when an infection has spread to the bloodstream, is affecting organ function, and causes blood pressure to drop. In Park’s case, the life-threatening situation was just as scary as it sounds. Her treatment involved “ambulances, three foreign hospitals, a week in the ICU, scary ERs, countless scans and tests and injections, excruciating pain, and so much confusion,” she said. Fortunately, she was traveling with her Emily in Paris co-star Paul Forman (Nicolas), and he was there for her through it all.
“Deeply Grateful”
Park thanked numerous people in her post, and Forman got a special shoutout. “Grateful most of all to @peforman for being unconditionally by my side through all this,” she wrote. As she went through everything described above, he “calmed [her] fears and held [her],” she noted before adding, “I love you Paul. More than I can ever say.”
Her photos and videos showed Forman’s steady support. Among the sweet moments she shared were the two of them in a hospital bed as he kissed her forehead, them holding hands, their finger heart gestures to each other, and him learning how to tie her hair back. Later, he showed his love in his own Instagram post on Jan. 19, sharing two photos of them and writing, “By your side, no matter what.”
Also on Park’s gratitude list were her doctors and nurses, the staff at the Maldives resort where she was staying amid her health emergency, and her “personal team of heroes at home.” In an Instagram story, she went on to thank the hotel that housed Forman when she had to be transferred to Dubai for treatment. She later stayed there, too, when she was no longer in the hospital but had not yet been cleared to travel.
“In The Throes Of Recovery”
As for Park’s status now, she said she’s “still in the throes of recovery” but “safely on the other side of the worst.” She added, “I’m healing and I promise I’m gonna be okay.” Park didn’t mention anything about getting back to work on Emily in Paris — which just began Season 4 production — in her post, but when Lily Collins shared photos from the Episode 1 table read, her comment was promising. “[I] can’t even express how excited I am to see you and to be able to join you asap,” Park wrote.
