Jamie Foxx is thinking back on his April medical emergency.
During an emotional speech accepting an award at the Critics Choice Association’s Celebration of Cinema & Television: Honoring Black, Latino, and AAPI Achievements in Los Angeles on Monday, Foxx, 55, talked candidly about his health concern.
“Thank you to all of you. I’ve experienced something. “I’ve experienced a few things,” Foxx remarked when accepting the Vanguard Award for his work in The Burial. I couldn’t have done it six months ago, so it’s absurd. I genuinely couldn’t walk too,” he said, his eyes welling with sadness.
Foxx expressed gratitude for life by remarking, “It feels good to be here.” I now value each and every minute. It’s not the same. It is distinct.
“It’s difficult when you almost…,” but I wouldn’t wish what I went through on my worst enemy. When you see the tunnel, you know it’s almost done,” he said.
“I noticed the tunnel.” I was blind to the light!” Then he made a joke. “I was lost in that tunnel because it was so hot.” S—, are I heading in the correct direction? The devil was saying, “C’mon, now.”
In a lighter occasion, Foxx refuted earlier rumors and told the audience he was not a clone either.
There are a lot of people I know who claimed to have cloned me. He made a joke, “Boy, y’all ain’t s—.”
“Black people, when we almost die or go through something like that, there’s two phrases, one of two phrases we say,” Foxx went on to remark. “The first is, ‘Lord, save me, Jesus.'” Jesus, “Lord, have mercy.”
He spoke of his family’s support, stating, “My sister and my daughter were so great at not letting anybody know anything that happened.” He then acknowledged celebrity pals in the audience, including Taraji P. Henson, Fantasia, and Lenny Kravitz, and said, “You need somebody like that in your corner.”
“I want to say six months ago I couldn’t fathom that this could happen or that I would be here,” Foxx said as he concluded his statement, thanking the crew behind The Burial. “All I can say as I walk up here to this microphone and get this Vanguard Award is ‘Lord, have mercy, Jesus.’”
