In his latest Netflix comedy special, Jamie Foxx opens up about a life-threatening medical emergency he experienced in 2023. The Oscar-winning actor recounts his journey from a sudden stroke to a miraculous recovery, highlighting the support of his family and his return to the stage with humor and resilience.
- Jamie Foxx's medical crisis is revealed
- He spoke on his family's crucial role
- Humor and music aid his healing
Jamie Foxx's Medical Drama
In his Netflix comedy special 'What Had Happened Was,' Jamie Foxx candidly shares the terrifying details of his medical ordeal in 2023. Foxx recalls the day of April 11, when he suffered a severe headache and asked a friend for Aspirin.
The Oscar and Grammy winner held back tears as he discussed his mystery illness, saying, "Please, Lord, let me get through this."
"April 11, I was having a bad headache, and I asked my boy for Aspirin. I realized quickly that when you’re in a medical emergency, your boys don’t know what the fuck to do," Foxx joked.
Before he could take it, he blacked out, remaining unconscious for weeks. "I don't remember 20 days," Foxx admits. His sister, Deidra Dixon, quickly realized the gravity of the situation, insisting he be taken to Piedmont Hospital, where doctors discovered he was experiencing a brain bleed leading to a stroke. Immediate surgery was necessary to save his life.
He was told that his friends took him to a doctor in Atlanta who gave him a cortisone shot and sent him on his way. "What the f--ck is that?" Foxx quipped. "I don’t know if you can do Yelps for doctors, but that’s half a star."
His sister Deidra Dixon, who he described as "4-foot-11 of nothing but pure love," knew that Foxx was experiencing something much more severe. “She says, ‘Get him in the car. That ain’t my brother right there,'" Foxx said. "She drove around — she didn’t know anything about Piedmont Hospital, but she had a hunch that some angels [were] in there."
At Piedmont, a doctor told Dixon that Foxx was “having a brain bleed that has led to a stroke,” and that if they didn’t operate on him as soon as possible he would die. “My sister knelt down outside the operating room and prayed the whole time,” Foxx said.
Foxx credits his sister and daughter, Corinne Marie Foxx, for their unwavering support during his recovery. After the surgery, doctors warned that Foxx faced a challenging year ahead.
His family shielded him from the outside world, ensuring he could focus on healing. Foxx emotionally recounts how his youngest daughter, Anelise Bishop, played guitar in his hospital room, which he describes as a "miracle" that helped stabilize his vitals. "It was God in that guitar," Foxx says, referring to the incident as his "spiritual defibrillator."
Throughout his recovery, Foxx found solace in humor. "I lost everything, but the only thing I could hold onto was my sense of humor," he states.
He said during the first 15 days of his hospitalization, the doctors thought he would die because his vitals were too high, and he needed to be kept calm. "You know what [is] the worst thing to have when you’re trying to stay calm in the hospital room? Black family members," Foxx joked before imitating his panicked kin.
His comedy special features celebrity impressions and jokes about his hospital experiences, including his reluctance to accept help from nurses. Foxx emphasizes that maintaining his humor was essential for his survival. The special also showcases a touching father-daughter duet with Anelise, fulfilling a long-held dream of performing together.
Foxx's journey from a near-fatal stroke to the stage is a testament to resilience and the power of family and faith. He ends the special with gratitude, thanking everyone who supported him, including his medical team and the city of Atlanta. Foxx's heartfelt performance and recovery story leave a lasting impression on audiences, underscoring his enduring spirit and talent.
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Ending things on a sweet note, Foxx offered his sincere thanks to everybody who prayed for his recovery, to his nurses and doctors, to his family, to God and to the city of Atlanta.
As he shook the hands of the audience members in the front row, Foxx sang, "Thank you for my body. Thank you for my soul."
