Two years after overcoming a life-threatening medical emergency that left him in a weeks-long coma, Oscar-winning actor Jamie Foxx took the stage at the 25th BET Awards to praise God for giving him a second chance at life.
Hosted by comedian Kevin Hart, the annual award show was held on June 9 at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.
During the ceremony, Foxx, 57, was honored alongside fellow artists Mariah Carey, Kirk Franklin, and Snoop Dogg with the Ultimate Icon Award, which celebrates “decades of groundbreaking contributions to music, entertainment, advocacy, and community impact,” according to a press release.
“When I saw the ‘in memoriam,’ I was like, ‘Man, that could have been me,’” the actor said, fighting back tears. “I don’t know why I went through what I went through, but I know my second chance—I’m not going to turn down.”
Foxx was hospitalized in April 2023 after suffering a brain bleed that led to a stroke, requiring him to undergo emergency brain surgery. The actor was in Atlanta at the time, filming Netflix’s 2025 action comedy “Back in Action,” starring actress Cameron Diaz.
After spending almost three weeks in the hospital, the “Ray” star finally regained consciousness and was transferred to a rehabilitation facility in Chicago, where he had to relearn how to walk.
During his acceptance speech, Fox also praised his family for their support, expressing gratitude to his younger sister, Deidra Dixon, 47, as well as his two daughters, Corinne Foxx, 31, and Anelise Foxx, 16, who were all seated in the audience.
“When I went through what I was going through, [Deidra] shut it down, and she made sure that she took care of her brother,” the actor said.
“My beautiful daughter, Corinne. I cannot say enough about you. You’ve always taken the backseat to everything, but when you needed to drive it, you drove, and you made sure I was here.”
Foxx then shared how his youngest daughter snuck into his hospital room while he was sick to play her guitar, recalling how his vitals suddenly began to improve.
“And the nurses ran in and said, ‘What did they give him?’ And my daughter says, ‘Shh, I got him,’” he recounted.
“God is good.”
