Jamie Foxx fought back tears at the 2025 BET Awards as he accepted the Ultimate Icon Award, sharing an emotional story about his near-death experience and miraculous recovery, per usatoday.com.
The 57-year-old actor opened up about his 2023 stroke and coma, crediting his family, especially his daughters Corinne, 31, and Anelise, 16, for pulling him through the darkest chapter of his life.
“When I saw that in memoriam, I was like, ‘Man, that could’ve been me,'” Foxx said, his voice breaking. “I don’t know why I went through what I went through, but I know that my second chance, I’m not going to turn it down.”
The most powerful moment came when Foxx revealed how his younger daughter literally saved his life. When doctors feared losing him due to failing vitals, 14-year-old Anelise snuck into his hospital room with her guitar.
“She said, ‘I know what my Daddy needs,’ and as she played the guitar, my vitals improved,” Foxx recounted. “I realised God was in her guitar. The nurses ran in and said, ‘What did they give him?’ My daughter said, ‘Shh, I’ve got him.'”
Foxx also thanked his sister Deidre Dixon, a Hollywood makeup artist who “made sure she took care of her brother” during his recovery, and praised eldest daughter Corinne for managing his health updates publicly.
The stroke occurred on April 11, 2023, when Foxx experienced a severe headache and lost consciousness. He remained comatose for 20 days, with doctors later discovering a brain bleed caused the stroke.
Both daughters were visibly emotional in the audience, with Anelise’s chin trembling as she watched her father’s heartfelt speech that lasted nearly 10 minutes.
