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Tearful Jamie Foxx breaks long silence on health struggles: ‘I went to hell and back’

July 23, 2023 | | Print Article

Fans of music, film, comedy, and gameshows heaved a huge sigh of relief on Friday, after an emotional Jamie Foxx at last spoke out about his months-long health issue that saw him hospitalized in April.

The internet has been rife with speculative theories since Foxx’s daughter, actress Corinne Foxx, revealed on social media that her father had suffered a “medical complication” while filming a movie titled “Back in Action” with costars Glenn Close and Cameron Diaz in Atlanta, TMZ reported in April.

“We know how beloved he is and appreciate your prayers,” Corinne said at the time. “The family asks for privacy during this time.”

Those prayers, Foxx said in an Instagram post on Friday, “brought me back.”

“I went through something that I thought I would never, ever go through,” he confirmed, though he declined to share what, exactly, that “something” was.

The critically-acclaimed star of “Ray” said he waited until now to provide an update on his condition, because “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, a television show,” Foxx said. “I just didn’t want you to see me with tubes running out of me and trying to figure out if I was going to make it through.”

The noticeably thinner Foxx credited Corinne and his sister, Deondra Dixon, for saving his life and thanked them for keeping the details of his struggle private.

“I cannot tell you how great it feels to have your family kick in in such a way,” he said. “They kept it airtight, didn’t let nothing out, they protected me and that’s what I hoped that everyone could have in moments like these.”

He joked about the rumors surrounding his illness, saying things “sometimes get out of hand” as a result of his silence.

“Some people said I was blind,” he said, crossing one eye, “but as you can see, the eyes are working just fine,” and he dispelled the rumor that he was paralyzed.

“But I did go to hell and back,” he said on a more serious note. “My road to recovery had some potholes as well, but I’m coming back, and I’m able to work.”

“I just want to say that I love everybody, and I love all the love that I got,” the adored entertainer concluded. “I am on my way back.”

Since posting his update, Foxx has been flooded with the love he loves.

On Instagram, podcaster and fellow comedian Joe Rogan wrote, “Good to see you alive and recovering brother. You’re one of the most amazing and talented human beings on the planet. I wish you a full and triumphant recovery.”

“We love you Foxx!!” exclaimed actress and singer Holly Robinson Peete. “You not done yet! So happy you are getting healthy and healing. GB [God bless] your family!!”

The sentiment was echoed by Ebony Magazine, which posted, “We love you!”

But, over on Twitter, Foxx’s video seems to have spawned even more wild theories, with many bizarrely claiming that the Jamie Foxx in the video is a “clone.”

Others could not care less about the celebrity’s privacy and demanded to know if his condition was a result of taking the COVID-19 vaccine.

One popular Twitter user even ran a poll based solely on speculation: “Do you think Jamie Foxx will speak out about the vaccine? My guess is hell no. smh.”

After more than 1,300 votes, 74.8% said that he would not, compared to the 19.4% who answered, “Jamie Foxx isn’t alive.”

Melissa Fine
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