Jamie Foxx recently opened up about his harrowing medical crisis, finally revealing the details of the health battle that left him hospitalized.
The actor, known for his roles in Django Unchained and Ray, shared his story during his new Netflix special Jamie Foxx: What Had Happened Was…
The actor’s revelation has drawn an outpouring of support from fans and fellow celebrities, including Dwayne Johnson, who commented: “I’m gonna bear hug the f*** outta you when I see you again.”
During the special, Foxx recounted the events leading up to his hospitalization. “On April 11, I was having a bad headache, and I asked my boy for Aspirin,” he explained.
“I realized quickly that when you’re in a medical emergency, your boys don’t know what the f*** to do.”
Foxx grew emotional as he reflected on the near-death experience, telling his audience: “Your life doesn’t flash before you. It was kind of oddly peaceful. I saw the tunnel, but I didn’t see the light. It was hot in that tunnel.”
The actor, who was working on the Netflix film Back In Action alongside Cameron Diaz when the incident occurred, credited his sister, Deidra Dixon, with saving his life.
“She knew something was wrong,” he said.
Despite being unfamiliar with Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta, where Foxx was treated, Deidra had a ‘hunch that some angels were in there.’
Foxx added: “Atlanta saved my life.”
He revealed that he didn’t remember the next 20 days and was later told by doctors that he had experienced a brain bleed resulting in a stroke.
Doctors determined that surgery was necessary to address the brain bleed.
Foxx recalled the moment a doctor warned his sister: “If I don’t go in his head right now, we’re going to lose him.”
He described how Deidra prayed outside the operating room throughout the procedure.
Foxx’s recovery was long and arduous, involving physical and emotional challenges.
“Twenty days I don’t remember, but on May 4, I woke up,” he shared. “When I woke up, I found myself in a wheelchair. I couldn’t walk.”
In his special, Foxx reflected on the ways the experience reshaped his outlook on life.
“God blessed me with money and fame, but when I forgot about God, He blessed me with a stroke,” he said.
Foxx revealed how his family shielded him from public scrutiny, ensuring that details of his condition remained private.
He credited their support for helping him recover, saying: “I cannot tell you how great it feels to have your family kick in in such a way.”
Foxx also opened up about the emotional toll of his recovery.
He admitted to feeling ‘down in the dumps’ at times but credited a psychiatrist and a renewed connection with God for helping him regain hope.
Humor, he noted, became a lifeline.
“If I can stay funny, I can stay alive,” he remarked.
In an earlier Instagram video, Foxx thanked fans for their prayers and support.
“I went through something that I thought I would never, ever go through,” he said.
He admitted to avoiding public appearances during his recovery because he didn’t want fans to see him in a vulnerable state, saying: “I didn’t want you to see me with tubes running out of me.”
Despite rumors about his condition, Foxx dismissed speculation that he was paralyzed or blind.
“I went to hell and back, and my road to recovery had some potholes as well, but I’m coming back,” he assured his audience.
Foxx ended his Netflix special with a message of gratitude: “I just want to jump on here and let you know that I’m on my way back.”
