Jamie Foxx calls daughter Anelise his 'spiritual defibrillator', pays her tribute for saving his life

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Jamie Foxx honored his daughter Anelise Foxx in a deeply emotional tribute for playing a pivotal role in saving his life during a harrowing health crisis.

The 56-year-old actor, who recently opened up about his stroke in his Netflix special 'Jamie Foxx: What Happened Was…', shared his gratitude for his daughter, describing her as his "spiritual defibrillator" and a source of strength during his recovery.

Jamie Foxx's life-changing health scare

Jamie Foxx had kept the details of his dramatic health scare private for several months.

In 2023, he suffered a stroke caused by bleeding in his brain, which led to him losing his memory for 20 days.

Doctors feared for his life as his vitals became unstable during the initial days of his recovery, according to Daily Mail.

Jamie's daughter, Anelise, was just 14 years old at the time but took an unexpected step that would change the course of his recovery.

Jamie Foxx recalls how Anelise Foxx’s music helped him recover

In his special, Jamie Foxx revealed that during a critical period when his health was deteriorating, his daughter, Anelise, entered his hospital room with her guitar.

The 'Power Project' actor explained that when she began playing, his vitals began to stabilize, leaving the medical staff amazed.

"When she was playing, my vitals went down. The nurses at the station were baffled," Jamie recalled.

"They rushed into the room and she said, 'Ssh. I got him,'" he added.

Jamie believes that her music was a miraculous intervention. "God was in that guitar," he said, calling Anelise’s act of love and devotion his “spiritual defibrillator."

Jamie Foxx’s tribute to daughter Anelise Foxx

To honor his daughter, Jamie Foxx took to Instagram early Monday morning, December 16, sharing a touching post alongside a video of Anelise playing guitar during the special.

"She would carry that guitar everywhere she went since she was a kid. Now I understand why… God was in her guitar," wrote Jamie.

He went on to express his deep appreciation, stating, "There's not a day that goes by that I don't thank my beautiful daughter Anelise for playing her guitar and giving me a second chance at life."

Jamie also praised Anelise’s maturity, noting that although she was only 14 at the time, her actions were beyond her years.

"She was 14 years old when everything went down, but she was grown up in her actions and reactions," he said.

"She's 16 now and she's lighting the world on fire," Jamie added, encouraging his followers to watch his special and witness her talent firsthand.

Jamie Foxx on his family's support amid health scare

As Jamie Foxx continues to recover and reflect on his health scare, he has spoken about the importance of family in his life.

"It pays to have family members who love you and can hold you down when your world goes dark. Family is everything," he shared.

In addition to Anelise, Jamie is also a father to 30-year-old Corinne, whom he shares with ex-partner Connie Kline.