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It’s been close to two years since Jamie Foxx was hospitalized in the wake of a fairly mysterious incident that led to him stepping out of the public eye for a significant chunk of time. He’s occasionally alluded to what unfolded after thankfully making a full recovery, but we finally have some details now that he’s opened up in a new stand-up special.
Jamie Foxx was filming a movie in Atlanta in April of 2023 when the world learned he was rushed to the hospital after succumbing to what his daughter initially only described as a “medical complication.” It’s easy to understand why the family wanted to protect his privacy, but it was still hard not to wonder what had actually gone down.
The Oscar-winning actor declined to offer any more insight when he broke his silence by acknowledging the love that was sent his way a few weeks after the news broke, and that remained the case when he continued to post positive updates while navigating the road to recovery in the ensuing months.
Over the summer, Foxx was filmed discussing the medical scare with some people in Phoenix during a conversation where he said he was dealing with a “bad headache” before things escalated to the point where he was knocked out for close to three weeks with no memory of what transpired during that span.
That account lines up with the information Foxx shared when he finally decided to open up during What Had Happened Was…, the new stand-up special that dropped on Netflix on Tuesday.
The comedian who’s on the verge of celebrating his 57th birthday confirmed the fairly widespread speculation he’d suffered a stroke, saying the doctor that initially examined him gave him a cortisone shot and sent him on his way before his sister, Deidra Dixon, insisted on taking him to Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta.
Once he arrived, a physician revealed the scary diagnosis, telling her, “He’s having a brain bleed that has led to a stroke. If I don’t go in his head right now, we’re going to lose him.’”
Foxx was rushed into surgery and quipped about his experience once he was unconscious, saying:
“I saw the tunnel. I didn’t see the light. It was hot in that tunnel. S—t, am I going to the wrong place in this motherf—er? Because I looked at the end of the tunnel, and I thought I saw the Devil.”
He remained knocked out until waking back up on May 4th before undergoing a strenuous rehabilitation regimen. He also noted his family fiercely protected his privacy during that stretch to keep him out of the public eye due to fears his physical appearance and bouts with dizziness had the potential to attract unnecessary attention and mockery.
It’s good to see him back in fighting shape.