Jamie Foxx Reveals He Experienced a Brain Bleed Resulting in a Stroke in 2023 | Entertainment & Arts News
Jamie Foxx has disclosed that he experienced a brain bleed leading to a stroke in 2023.
Foxx had previously mentioned he had been “to hell and back” while undergoing treatment for a medical emergency in April 2023, but he shared additional details during his new Netflix comedy special that premiered on Tuesday.
The actor, singer, and comedian recounted to his Atlanta audience how he fell ill while filming the Netflix spy action movie Back In Action alongside Hollywood star Cameron Diaz and sought medical attention due to a “bad headache”.
He stated that the doctor administered a “cortisone shot” – a type of steroid injection – after which he felt unusually tired.
At 56 years old, Foxx mentioned that his sister, Deidra Dixon, “knew something was off” and took him to Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta.
“She had no prior knowledge about Piedmont Hospital, but had a feeling that some angels were present there,” he remarked.
“Atlanta saved my life.”
Foxx relayed that the doctor informed his sister he was “experiencing a brain bleed that resulted in a stroke” and cautioned her: “If I don’t operate on him immediately, we might lose him.”
He was taken in for surgery, and “my sister knelt outside the operating room and prayed the entire time”.
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Foxx mentioned that medical staff “couldn’t identify” the source of the brain bleed, yet he was diagnosed with a stroke.
The specifics of the incident remain largely a “mystery,” and he noted, “we still don’t have a clear understanding of what happened to me”.
The Oscar-winning star admitted he could not recall the first 20 days post-surgery, stating, “but on May 4, I opened my eyes”.
“Upon waking, I found myself in a wheelchair and was unable to walk,” he shared, adding that the doctor informed his family he would likely endure the “most challenging year of his life” during recovery.
He acknowledged that his family shielded him from public attention while he recuperated, which sometimes included difficulties with mobility.
Foxx stated that consulting with a psychiatrist assisted him in coping mentally, which also helped him reconnect with his faith.
“If I can remain funny, I can stay alive,” he concluded.
