Jamie Foxx broke his silence about his medical crisis in an emotional video posted to his Instagram account Friday night.
The 55-year-old Oscar winner worked hard to fight back the tears in his eyes as he spoke about the health struggles he faced. Foxx told fans he “went through hell and back” and described his feelings in what he called a “hellish” experience.
“I know a lot of people were waiting or wanting to hear an update, but to be honest with you, I didn’t want you to see me like that, man,” Foxx said.
“I went through something I thought I would never, ever go through,” he said to his fans.
Foxx was visibly shaken by this experience and gave fans an idea of just how serious his condition was without divulging the actual details of his illness.
“I want you to remember me laughing, having a good time, partying, cracking a joke, doing a movie or a television show,” Foxx said. “I 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.” He shook his head and fought off the tears again, before telling his 16 million Instagram followers he is now on the mend.
“My road to recovery had some potholes as well,” he said, suggesting to fans that his health didn’t immediately stabilize and improve when he left the hospital.
Foxx praised his sister, Deondra Dixon, and his daughter, Corinne Foxx, for saving his live.
“To them, to God, to a lot of great medical people, I’m able to leave you this video,” Foxx said.
During a deeply emotional moment in the video, Foxx’s eyes went red and welled up with tears so much that it seemed he would break down at any moment. He addressed the moment head-on. “I’m not gonna do take two. It is what it is,” he said.
“It was tough, man, I was sick,” he said.
Foxx addressed gratitude for his family’s cooperation in keeping his personal medical issue a private matter.
“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 could have in moments like these,” he said.
“But, I’m coming back, and I am able to work.”
He lightened the mood by making funny faces and going cross-eyed while settling rumors he had gone blind or been paralyzed. (RELATED: Jamie Foxx Returns To Work After Mysterious Medical Crisis)
“I just want to say I love everybody, and I love all the love that I got,” he added.
“I’m here on earth because of some great people. I’m here on earth because of God,” he said.
Foxx was rushed to the hospital in April but has not revealed the specific illness he suffered from.