(CNN) Montel Williams is happy to be alive, thankful for his wife, and glad he's a viewer of "The Dr. Oz Show."

The TV personality and host opened up to Robin Roberts on "Good Morning America" about a stroke that nearly claimed his life.

Williams was in New York City for work back in May when, while working out, a loud pop and realized he was starting to exhibit the symptoms of someone who'd just had a stroke -- including vision problems and drooling on one side of his mouth.

"Maybe about a month before, I was watching 'Dr. Oz' and I saw an episode on stroke," he said.

In that moment, key information covered in the program came rushing back to him, Williams said. Instead of giving in to the sudden fatigue that had hit him -- he recalled the show advising people not to go to sleep or lay down -- he summoned his energy and walked to the elevator, using the wall for support along the way.

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