Actor Jamie Foxx makes first public appearance since hospitalisation for undisclosed illness

“I saw the tunnel. I didn’t see the light,” he said during his acceptance speech, noting that his medical condition was life-threatening.

Actor Jamie Foxx made his first public appearance on Monday (Dec 4) after suffering an undisclosed health scare in April and he said that six months ago he was unable to walk.

An emotional Foxx took centre stage to accept the Vanguard Award from the Critics Choice Association’s Celebration of Cinema & Television: Honoring Black, Latino and AAPI Achievement in Los Angeles, presented by his The Burial co-star Jurnee Smollet.

“I saw the tunnel. I didn’t see the light,” he said during his acceptance speech, noting that his medical condition was life-threatening. He did not disclose the nature of his illness.

The Ray actor said he wouldn’t wish what he went through on his worst enemy.

“Because it’s tough when it’s almost over,” he added.

He thanked everyone for their prayers and gave special recognition to his sister and his daughter, Corinne Foxx, for “not letting anyone know what happened”.

“I can only say that you need somebody like that in your corner,” he said.

Foxx shared that he was sent to a facility in Chicago with his face covered to hide his identity while recovering.

However, he comedically told audiences that the black woman that checked him in insisted on seeing his face.

“’I’m gonna have to sign you in. I run a tight ship in here baby. I’m gonna have to see your face,’” he recalled her telling him.

Foxx became even more emotional as he described her seeing his face and sharing that she had been praying for him.

“I said ‘wow’ and that gave me an indication that once I get outta all of this, I was gonna be all right, cuz I was gonna see Taraji [P Henson], I was gonna see Fantasia, I was gonna see Lenny [Kravitz],” he said, referring to other artistes in attendance Monday night.

Well-known names, including actor Kerry Washington, basketball star LeBron James and others posted tributes to Foxx following his hospitalisation. In May, he posted an Instagram video sharing that he was out of the Atlanta hospital and recovering.

Foxx, 55, is known for films such as Collateral and Django Unchained.