Jamie Foxx is opening up about how his daughter, Anelise Bishop, played a vital role in his recovery after a life-threatening medical emergency in 2023.
In his Netflix special, What Had Happened Was…, Jamie reveals he suffered a brain bleed that led to a stroke, leaving him unconscious in the hospital for weeks. During his recovery, his then-14-year-old daughter became a source of strength and hope.
“My vitals were so bad, they were going to lose me. And that’s when a miracle happened, and that miracle was working through my youngest daughter. She’s 14,” he said, referring to Anelise.
The now 16-year-old, who has been playing the guitar since she was 10, snuck into her father’s hospital room with her guitar, instinctively knowing how to help him.
“I didn’t want her to see me like that, but she snuck into my hospital room with her guitar. And she [said], ‘I know what my daddy needs.’”
As she played, Jamie’s vitals began to improve, stunning the medical staff.
Reflecting on the moment, he said, “You know what I found out? It was God in that guitar,” he said. “That’s my spiritual defibrillator.”
During a sweet moment during the special, Anelise joined her dad onstage, guitar in hand. The crowd erupted in applause as the pair hugged, with Jmie visibly overcome with tears.
“When you think about, as you grow older, you wonder about the hard times. Who’s going to be there? Who’s actually going to be there? I don’t have to wonder that anymore,” he said.
At one point, Anelise played while her dad encouraged her, repeatedly saying, “Play.” Later, Foxx thanked her in front of the audience.
“Thank you so much for stepping up when all was lost,” he told her.
Her response? “You had to make it because I always dreamed that we’d perform together onstage one day.”
The pair ended their performance with a touching spoken word piece that transitioned into a song about Foxx’s health crisis. As images of their journey appeared on a screen behind them, he stepped back to let Anelise take center stage. The audience erupted in applause as she bowed.
“I love you,” he told her.
“I love you, too,” she responded
Jamie Foxx is a proud father of two kids in all- daughters Anelise and Corinne Bishop.