Jamie Foxx reveals brain bleed, stroke led to his hospitalization in Atlanta

ATLANTA — Oscar winner and comedian Jamie Foxx revealed what led to his weeks-long hospitalization in Atlanta.

Foxx was hospitalized in April 2023 after what started off as a “bad headache” turned into him being rushed to the hospital. The actor previously said that he was “gone for 20 days” and that he doesn’t remember anything.

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Back in October, Foxx filmed his Netflix special “Jamie Foxx: What Had Happened Was” in Atlanta. On Tuesday, Netflix released the special, during which Foxx said he suffered “a brain bleed that has led to a stroke.”

“Atlanta, y’all saved me,” Foxx told the crowd. “At Piedmont Hospital, they put me back together again.”

“I started doing standup comedy back in 1991 right here in Atlanta. So it’s fitting I came back here to tell you my story. What had happened was,” Foxx said as he started to get tears in his eyes. “Lord, let me get through this.”

This is the first time that Foxx has openly spoken about what caused his hospital stay. Previously, the actor only mentioned that it started off as a bad headache and that he couldn’t remember anything for 20 days.

Foxx went to one doctor, who gave him a cortisone shot. But his sister knew something else needed to be done.

“She said, ‘Something is wrong with my brother...that ain’t my brother right there,’” Foxx said. “They said she drove around Atlanta sort of aimlessly. She didn’t really know where the hospital was. As she was driving around, she came upon Piedmont Hospital. She didn’t know anything about Piedmont Hospital, but she had a hunch that some angels was in there.”

Foxx said the doctor told his sister that “a brain bleed that has led to a stroke” and that he needed to go “in his head right now” or they would lose him.

“What I was told was my sister fired right back. ‘You can go in his head, but you ain’t gonna right nothing.’ My sister made a joke. Because sometimes you gotta laugh to keep from crying.”

Foxx said he was told that the doctor took him to an operating room and that they couldn’t find where the bleed was coming from, but he was having a stroke.

“That’s what it was Atlanta. You finally got the story,” Foxx told the crowd.

Foxx said it wasn’t until May 4, 2023 that he woke up. He couldn’t believe that he had a stroke and thought his friend, Dave, was joking.

The comedian thanked Atlanta over and over again for the city saving his life. He also thanked his sister and his daughter Corrine for taking care of him for months.

The full ‘Jamie Foxx: What Had Happened Was” special is streaming on Netflix.

Piedmont Atlanta gave Channel 2 Action News the following statement:

“Piedmont is delighted to see Jamie Foxx back on stage and in good health. We are grateful to our dedicated care team who played a role in helping him return to entertaining and doing what he loves.”