Jamie Foxx Says He Had a Brain Bleed. What To Know About the Condition

In his new Netflix special, actor Jamie Foxx revealed more details about the “mysterious” medical emergency that had fans worried for the actor last year. Foxx said he had a brain bleed that led to astroke.In the special, titled “Jamie Foxx: What Had Happened Was,” the Academy Award winner explained that when he was filming a movie in April 2023, he experienced a bad headache and lost consciousness before he could get his hands on an aspirin.After that, Foxx’s memory went blank. “I don’t remember 20 days,” he said, noting that he was in a coma for weeks. What had felt like passing out for just a few minutes was actually weeks—long enough for him to have grown a beard, he added.Memory loss can be a lingering effect for some people who experience a stroke.Foxx’s family quickly got him to Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta, where doctors diagnosed a brain bleed that had caused a stroke. Foxx underwent immediate surgery to save his life.“Suffering a brain bleed, called ahemorrhagic stroke, like Jamie Foxx’s, is less common but more serious than suffering anischemic stroke. Like other forms of stroke, though, we have emergent, time-sensitive treatments for hemorrhagic stroke and it’s important to recognize the symptoms to get someone to life-saving treatment as soon as possible,” saidChristopher Kellner, MD, director of the Intracerebral Hemorrhage Program at Mount Sinai in New York.Brain bleeds occur when a blood vessel in the brain bursts.This can result from various factors, including brain tumors,high blood pressure, head injuries, oraneurysmsin the brain. Common symptoms include dizziness, vision changes, severe headaches, and numbness in one side of the body.The cause of Foxx’s brain bleed is still unclear.“It is a mystery,” Foxx said in the special. “We still don’t know exactly what happened to me. All I can tell you is that I appreciate every prayer, because I needed every prayer.”How Long Does It Take To Recover From a Stroke?Although the surgery was a success, doctors warned Foxx’s family that recovery would be difficult and that 2023 was “going to be the worst year of his life.”Foxx recalled being told about his diagnosis after waking up and realizing he was in a wheelchair. He told a friend at the time, “Jamie Foxx don’t get strokes,” an attitude the actor said he had to change when he headed to Chicago for rehab.Foxx’s fame added another layer of difficulty to his recovery. His daughter, Corinne Foxx, issued a brief social media statement about his “medical complication” in April 2023, asking fans for privacy. She feared her father’s public appearances could lead to ridicule, especially if people saw him “bobbing” from the lingering dizziness he was experiencing.Foxx said on Instagram that he finally started to feel like himself again in August.There are different stroketreatments, including medications and surgery. If you have a stroke, you’re likely to be admitted to the emergency room, and you may have to stay in the hospital for five to seven days. While people can recover from a stroke, it can take months or even years of rehabilitation care.The 7 Stages of Stroke RecoveryWhat Are the Symptoms of a Stroke?While Foxx didn’t give all the details about his treatment and recovery, his candor about the experience has sparked online conversations about stroke risk.According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), someone in the United States has a stroke every 40 seconds.And it’s not just something that happens when you’re older—people of any age can have a stroke.Strokes are medical emergencies thatcan be life-threatening. Recognizing the signs and knowing when to seek help is crucial for protecting your health and the well-being of your loved ones. Time is of the essence—treatment is most effective when started within the first few hours.“Remember toBEFAST(balance, eyes, face, arms, speech, and time), recognize the signs of stroke, and call 911 immediately,” Kellner said.BEFAST is an acronym that can help you spot the signs of a stroke:B= Balance: loss of balance, dizziness, or headacheE= Eyes: blurred or changed visionF= Face: drooping or numbness on one side of the faceA= Arm: weakness, numbness, or difficulty in raising one arm or legS= Speech difficulty: slurred speech or inability to speakT= Time to call 911New Stroke Symptom Acronym Says ‘BE FAST’ About Calling 911

In his new Netflix special, actor Jamie Foxx revealed more details about the “mysterious” medical emergency that had fans worried for the actor last year. Foxx said he had a brain bleed that led to astroke.

In the special, titled “Jamie Foxx: What Had Happened Was,” the Academy Award winner explained that when he was filming a movie in April 2023, he experienced a bad headache and lost consciousness before he could get his hands on an aspirin.

After that, Foxx’s memory went blank. “I don’t remember 20 days,” he said, noting that he was in a coma for weeks. What had felt like passing out for just a few minutes was actually weeks—long enough for him to have grown a beard, he added.

Memory loss can be a lingering effect for some people who experience a stroke.Foxx’s family quickly got him to Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta, where doctors diagnosed a brain bleed that had caused a stroke. Foxx underwent immediate surgery to save his life.

“Suffering a brain bleed, called ahemorrhagic stroke, like Jamie Foxx’s, is less common but more serious than suffering anischemic stroke. Like other forms of stroke, though, we have emergent, time-sensitive treatments for hemorrhagic stroke and it’s important to recognize the symptoms to get someone to life-saving treatment as soon as possible,” saidChristopher Kellner, MD, director of the Intracerebral Hemorrhage Program at Mount Sinai in New York.

Brain bleeds occur when a blood vessel in the brain bursts.This can result from various factors, including brain tumors,high blood pressure, head injuries, oraneurysmsin the brain. Common symptoms include dizziness, vision changes, severe headaches, and numbness in one side of the body.

The cause of Foxx’s brain bleed is still unclear.

“It is a mystery,” Foxx said in the special. “We still don’t know exactly what happened to me. All I can tell you is that I appreciate every prayer, because I needed every prayer.”

How Long Does It Take To Recover From a Stroke?

Although the surgery was a success, doctors warned Foxx’s family that recovery would be difficult and that 2023 was “going to be the worst year of his life.”

Foxx recalled being told about his diagnosis after waking up and realizing he was in a wheelchair. He told a friend at the time, “Jamie Foxx don’t get strokes,” an attitude the actor said he had to change when he headed to Chicago for rehab.

Foxx’s fame added another layer of difficulty to his recovery. His daughter, Corinne Foxx, issued a brief social media statement about his “medical complication” in April 2023, asking fans for privacy. She feared her father’s public appearances could lead to ridicule, especially if people saw him “bobbing” from the lingering dizziness he was experiencing.

Foxx said on Instagram that he finally started to feel like himself again in August.

There are different stroketreatments, including medications and surgery. If you have a stroke, you’re likely to be admitted to the emergency room, and you may have to stay in the hospital for five to seven days. While people can recover from a stroke, it can take months or even years of rehabilitation care.

The 7 Stages of Stroke Recovery

What Are the Symptoms of a Stroke?

While Foxx didn’t give all the details about his treatment and recovery, his candor about the experience has sparked online conversations about stroke risk.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), someone in the United States has a stroke every 40 seconds.And it’s not just something that happens when you’re older—people of any age can have a stroke.

Strokes are medical emergencies thatcan be life-threatening. Recognizing the signs and knowing when to seek help is crucial for protecting your health and the well-being of your loved ones. Time is of the essence—treatment is most effective when started within the first few hours.

“Remember toBEFAST(balance, eyes, face, arms, speech, and time), recognize the signs of stroke, and call 911 immediately,” Kellner said.

BEFAST is an acronym that can help you spot the signs of a stroke:

New Stroke Symptom Acronym Says ‘BE FAST’ About Calling 911

4 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Stroke Association.Memory loss.Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care.Brain aneurysm: learn more—what happens during a brain hemorrhage (bleeding in the brain)?.National Institutes of Health.Critical window for rehabilitation after a stroke.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Stroke facts.

4 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Stroke Association.Memory loss.Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care.Brain aneurysm: learn more—what happens during a brain hemorrhage (bleeding in the brain)?.National Institutes of Health.Critical window for rehabilitation after a stroke.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Stroke facts.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

American Stroke Association.Memory loss.Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care.Brain aneurysm: learn more—what happens during a brain hemorrhage (bleeding in the brain)?.National Institutes of Health.Critical window for rehabilitation after a stroke.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Stroke facts.

American Stroke Association.Memory loss.

Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care.Brain aneurysm: learn more—what happens during a brain hemorrhage (bleeding in the brain)?.

National Institutes of Health.Critical window for rehabilitation after a stroke.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Stroke facts.

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