Johnny Depp: 'I was one of those parents who melted when my daughter fell ill'

Johnny Depp has opened up about almost losing his actress/model daughter Lily-Rose after she was diagnosed with an E. coli infection at the age of seven.

Now a healthy teen, Lily-Rose fought for her life in a London hospital after suffering kidney failure, and her dad and mom Vanessa Paradis feared she wouldn't survive.

Accepting the inaugural Rhonda's Kiss Healing and Hope Award for his efforts to support cancer patients on Thursday night (03Nov16) at the El Rey Theater in Los Angeles, the 53-year-old Pirates of the Caribbean star recalled his daughter's health crisis, and the fact he felt helpless as he waited for some good news from doctors and nurses.

"To the parents in the room... who I have seen melting and their own form of courage, I was one of those parents, for weeks, when my daughter was ill," Johnny said.

"I lived in the hospital for three weeks with my girl and my kid, not knowing if she was going to make it or not. Parents, please note that you have my utter respect. Please note that you have all my respect, and you have my promise to continue to fight this noble fight right alongside you at any time. And, we'll just never give up. It's as simple as that."

Depp also took a moment to pay tribute to the medics who treated his late mother Betty Sue Palmer up until her death this summer (16).

"She was a hellcat," he smiled. "She was mean, but she was funny. The amount of care and love she received from every member of the staff and the brilliant and dedicated specialists who tirelessly gave of themselves far beyond the call of duty, I am truly humbled by this kindness.

"Their kindness and your infinite knowledge, doctors and specialists. My mom and her family would have been very much lost in the darkness without these people. We'll always owe them a deep debt of gratitude that is virtually impossible to repay."