Goldie Hawn Says Son Oliver Hudson Nearly Died at 1 Day Old: 'I Asked God ... Heal My Son'

Jess Cagle
Updated

At home with Goldie! Goldie Hawn opens up about motherhood, her 34-year romance with Kurt Russell, and her hilarious return to the big screen in Snatched. Subscribe now for a look inside her extraordinary life — only in PEOPLE!

The arrival of Goldie Hawn‘s first son, Oliver Hudson, turned into a frightening ordeal when he nearly died at 1 day old from birth complications.

For PEOPLE’s new cover story, the Snatched star, 71, sat down at her L.A. home with Editor-in-Chief Jess Cagle for a wide-ranging interview about her remarkable rise to fame, her 34-year romance with Kurt Russell and her life as a mom.

Immediately after Oliver’s birth, Hawn (who was then married to her second husband, musician Bill Hudson) was suffering from toxemia and recalls being wheeled upstairs to the ICU to see her struggling newborn son.

“Oh my God, was he beautiful. Eleven pounds of a hunk of love,” Hawn tells PEOPLE. “I stood up and I just connected to the universe. I put my hand on him, and I asked God, I said, ‘Come through me, use me to heal my son.’ ”

Miraculously, she watched his heart rate go up.

“I don’t think there’s any question that prayer can work. I’m a very spiritual person,” says Hawn. “I’m not a religious person, although I was raised Jewish and I like my tribe, but that was a beautiful thing. It was phenomenal. I just emptied myself. I don’t know how to explain it.”

RELATED VIDEO: Goldie Hawn Reveals the Secrets of Her 34-Year Love with Kurt Russell

Today, Hawn, is so proud of Oliver, 40, who is a successful actor and father of three children.

“He’s the greatest, most handsome, amazing father, actor, comedian, human, son,” says Hawn, who’s also mom to actress Kate Hudson, 38, and actor Wyatt Russell, 30. “I mean, he’s such a gift. They’re all gifts, all my children.”