Oscar-winning actor and performer Jamie Foxx recently told a very emotional story about his youngest daughter, Anelise, in his Netflix comedy special Jamie Foxx: What Had Happened Was. Taped in Atlanta, the special illuminates the near-death experience Foxx had after he suffered a severe medical emergency in April 2023. He was only 14 years old when Anelise was the one who helped him in his miraculous recovery.
Life-Changing Crisis
It was in April 2023 when Jamie Foxx was working in “Back in Action” in Atlanta and there he suffered a fatal “brain bleed that caused a stroke”. The actor was rushed to Piedmont Hospital, but things quickly turned critical. For nearly two weeks, doctors worked hard; nothing seemed to stabilize him, and the situation was grim.
Foxx described this time as “touch and go.” He said his body wasn’t responding to medications. The doctors were getting worried to keep him calm. This was a time of uncertainty when hope seemed to waiver.
Also read: Orlando Brown’s Exciting Baby News: Third Child on the Way
Annelise’s Act of Love
At just 14, Anelise decided to do something extraordinary. Sneaking into her daddy’s hospital room with her guitar, she knew just exactly what Jamie needed. “She said, ‘I know what my daddy needs … that’s my daddy,'” Foxx recalled. And as Anelise started playing her guitar, something incredibly began to happen—Foxx’s vitals started stabilizing.
The nurses were shocked. They ran into the room, dazed by the sudden turn of events. Anelise just said to them, “Shh. I got him.” Foxx called it miraculous. “Do you know what I found out? That God was in that guitar. That’s my spiritual defibrillator.”
For Foxx, Anelise’s actions weren’t just comforting—they were life-saving. The bond between father and daughter brought him back from the brink.
A Dream Realized
Months after Foxx returned to the stage to film his Netflix special, he hadn’t forgotten Anelise’s role in his recovery. The special was taped just “400 yards away” from Piedmont Hospital, where Foxx spent those critical days. When he went up on the stage for the performance, Anelise went with her father. All three, including the father, considered it like a dream come true.
Foxx looked dazed and shook, his face pale. He went and looked at Anelise with a “Thank you so much for stepping up when all was lost,” she said in love reply to him. The audience shouted and cheered as the two loved them up in this scene.
This was something Foxx said changed his life. As he reflected on the experience, he said, “When you think about, as you grow older, you wonder about the hard times. Who’s going to be there? I don’t have to wonder that anymore.” For Foxx, Anelise proved she would always be there when he needed her most.
Also read: The Best Moments in Ginny & Georgia Season 2 That Set Up Season 3
Conclusion
Today, Jamie Foxx returns to performing and entertaining fans once again. His Netflix special, already nominated for a Golden Globe, is also a comedy triumph and testimony to his journey. For Foxx, the experience cemented love, resilience, and family as important.
Anelise’s courage and perseverance were what saved her father’s life, making what otherwise could have been a tragic event into a story of hope and recovery. For Jamie Foxx, the love of his daughter became the ultimate healing power.
