John Draper Witherspoon, the 84-year-old father of actress Reese Witherspoon, was hospitalized on Friday in Nashville after being found unresponsive by a pool. A resident alerted a doorman who discovered Witherspoon lying face down at his condominium, according to reports.
The doorman and a building manager reportedly turned Witherspoon over, and he responded by blinking his eyes before emergency services were called and he was taken to the hospital. Nashville Metro confirmed a medical incident occurred at the building but did not release an identity.
Representatives for Reese Witherspoon have not yet commented on the situation.
John Witherspoon and his ex-wife, Mary Elizabeth 'Betty' Witherspoon, both had careers in the medical field. John Witherspoon was a lieutenant in the United States Army Reserve. He also achieved a perfect score on his SATs and MCATs, graduating from Yale at the top of his class, according to his daughter.
Reese Witherspoon previously spoke about her father's academic achievements and the influence of both her parents on her drive during a 2018 interview with Vanity Fair. She noted that while she and her older brother attended college, neither graduated, with Reese herself dropping out of Stanford University after one year to pursue acting. She stated her parents were supportive of her acting aspirations.
Witherspoon's parents divorced in 1996, a separation that became public in 2012 when Betty Witherspoon reportedly filed a bigamy lawsuit after discovering John had remarried while still legally wed to her. By 2018, however, her mother stated that she and John had reconciled and were living together again.
John and Betty Witherspoon were present at the 78th Academy Awards in 2006 when Reese Witherspoon won Best Actress for her role in 'Walk the Line.' During her acceptance speech, she thanked her parents for their unwavering pride in her accomplishments, regardless of their nature.
Reese Witherspoon has occasionally featured her parents on her social media, including a Father's Day tribute in 2020.