Tanya Roberts’ Domestic Partner Lance O’Brien Finds Out She's Still Alive Mid-Interview

Albert L. Ortega/Getty Images. Inset: Inside Edition (inset) Lance O'Brien; Tanya Roberts

Tanya Roberts' longtime domestic partner, Lance O'Brien, received a happy surprise when he was told by doctors that the former Bond girl was alive.

O'Brien had previously believed the actress, with whom he has been in a relationship for 18 years, had died at the age of 65 after she collapsed on Dec. 24 and was hospitalized.

During an interview with Inside Edition to discuss the actress' then-assumed death, O'Brien answered a phone call on Monday morning from the hospital where Roberts was being treated, saying, "Now, you're telling me she's alive?"

Crying, O'Brien continued, "The hospital is telling me she is alive. They are calling me from the ICU team."

RELATED: Tanya Roberts Is Alive Despite Husband and Rep Previously Announcing Her Death

O'Brien, who had previously been unable to visit Roberts due to COVID-19 restrictions, told Inside Edition he had spent Sunday with her during what he had thought were her final hours.

"When she saw me and I was there, I saw her eyes open," he said. "I felt good. I said, 'Hey, her eyes are opening. Her eyes are opening.' They told me that's just a reflex."

Roberts' rep, Mike Pingel, tells PEOPLE O'Brien "is still distraught and exhausted."

"The love of his life is passing away," says Pingel. "He would have loved to have been with her every day."

Spelling-Goldberg/Kobal/Shutterstock Tanya Roberts

Pingel adds O'Brien has been "talking about the memorial." "He's moving forward [with plans] and trying to get through today and see what happens tomorrow," says Pingel.

When O'Brien visited Roberts in the hospital on Sunday, Pingel said the A View to a Kill actress "opened her eyes and saw him and tried to hug him."

The rep added Roberts' collapse was due "partly" to problems with her liver function.

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O'Brien spoke to TMZ on Monday about the confusion surrounding Roberts' health, saying he had seen the actress close her eyes as they "faded."

O'Brien told the outlet he felt devastated and that he had walked out of the hospital without speaking to medical staff.

Roberts is still alive, Pingel told PEOPLE on Monday. "She was alive at 10 a.m. this morning," Pingel said, adding O'Brien "received a call from the hospital saying she was not dead."

"Currently, it's not looking good," Pingel said of Roberts' health. "It's very dire. Hold her in your prayers."