Jamie Foxx has spoken out about an undisclosed “medical complication” that sent him to the hospital back in April. In a new video posted to Instagram, the actor — without sharing details about what the complication entailed — thanked fans for their well wishes and assured them he was on the road to recovery.
“I want to say thank you to everyone that’s prayed, sent me messages… I cannot even begin to tell you how far it took me and how it brought me back,” Foxx said. “I went through something that I thought I would never ever go through. And I know a lot of people were waiting or wanted to hear updates, but to be honest with you, I just didn’t want you to see me like that. I want you to see me laughing, having a good time, partying, cracking a joke, doing a movie, television show. I didn’t want you to see with me tubes running out of me and trying to figure out if I was gonna make it through.”
Foxx shouted out his daughter, Corinne Foxx, and his sister, Deondra Dixon, for “saving his life” and keeping the details of his illness private. “So to them, to God, to a lot of great medical people, I’m able to leave you this video. I cannot tell you how great it feels to have your family kick in in such a way. And y’all know they kept it airtight. They didn’t let nothing out. They protected me. And that’s what I hope that everyone can have in moments like these.”
The actor dispelled rumors that his illness left him blind or paralyzed, but did confirm that his hospital stint wasn’t exactly the smoothest of experiences. “I went to hell and back. And my road to recovery had some potholes as well,” he said. “But I’m coming back and I’m able to work, so I want to thank the people that let me work.”
“I love everybody and I love all of the love that I got,” Foxx concluded, growing emotional. “If you see me out from now on and every once in a while I just burst into tears, it’s because it’s been tough. I was sick. But now I’ve got my legs under me, you’re gonna see me out.” Watch the full video below.
Despite returning home in May, Foxx wasn’t seen in public following his April 12th hospitalization until earlier this month, when fans spotted him on a yacht on the Chicago River. The actor, who currently hosts the lyric game show Beat Shazam, will next play Spawn in a new movie about the Image Comics antihero.