At the 2025 BET Awards, Jamie Foxx received the Ultimate Icon Award in a moment filled with laughter, tears, and gratitude. Presented by music legend Stevie Wonder, Foxx’s speech reflected on his near-death experience, his road to recovery, and the love he’s found in a second chance at life.
A tribute, a reckoning, and a rebirth
Jamie Foxx, known for his vibrant energy and comedic brilliance, stood on the BET Awards stage on Monday night with something far deeper to offer: vulnerability. Accepting the Ultimate Icon Award, Foxx was honored with a tribute by artists including Babyface, Jennifer Hudson, and T-Pain—a musical celebration of his remarkable career that quickly turned into an emotional reckoning for the Oscar winner.
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“When I saw that ‘In Memoriam’ segment, I was like, ‘Man, that could’ve been me,’” Foxx said through tears, referencing the health crisis he survived in April 2023. At the time, a stroke caused by a brain bleed left him hospitalized and fighting for his life. “But I don’t know why I went through what I went through,” he continued, “but I know my second chance—I’m not gonna turn it down. I have so much love to give.”
The crowd inside Los Angeles’ Peacock Theater fell silent, many visibly moved. The camera panned to his daughters Corinne and Anelise, who watched their father tearfully thank them, along with his sister Deidra Dixon, for helping him through one of the darkest chapters of his life.
From wheelchair to standing ovation
In his recent 2024 stand-up special What Had Happened Was, Foxx gave fans a raw glimpse into his harrowing recovery. “On May 4th, I woke up. And when I woke up, I found myself in a wheelchair. I couldn’t walk,” he recalled. “And I was like, ‘What the f—? Why am I in a wheelchair?’” Months of intensive rehabilitation and therapy followed, with long gaps in memory—he says he can’t recall a 20-day period at all.
And yet, here he stood, stronger than ever, back in the spotlight—but this time with more purpose. “You can’t go through something like that and not testify,” he told the audience, prompting applause and murmurs of agreement from fans and fellow artists alike.
Foxx didn’t shy away from crediting those who stood by him: “My sister made sure that she took care of her brother,” he said, nodding to Dixon, who wiped away tears in the audience. “And my daughters—my beautiful daughters—Corinne and Anelise. You saved me.”
From ‘Ray’ to reality: the weight of legacy
Stevie Wonder, who presented the award, didn’t miss an opportunity to poke fun before things turned heartfelt. “Jamie and I go waaaay back,” he said. “He hit me up a lot of times because of his Academy Award win for Ray, and I said, ‘Jamie, just because you played a blind man, that don’t mean we’re besties, okay?’”
Foxx, naturally, fired back with his signature humor, delivering an uncanny Stevie Wonder impression and launching into a highlight reel of his own career—from the outrageous Wanda on In Living Color to football star Willie Beaman in Any Given Sunday, and his 2005 collaboration on Gold Digger with Ye (formerly Kanye West). But even his jokes were tinged with perspective. “Yeah, I can still make y’all laugh,” he said, “but this time, I’m gonna make you feel too.”
The sound of survival
Foxx’s journey from comedy clubs to the Oscars has long been framed as a success story. But now, there’s a new chapter: survival. What makes this comeback different is not just his physical recovery, but a deep emotional transformation. He’s not returning to reclaim fame—he’s returning to spread love. “I told Him, ‘Just give me one more crack at this,’” Foxx said, looking skyward. “And I promise—for whatever reason You put this on me—I’m gonna do right.”
And in that moment, it was clear: this wasn’t just an award acceptance. It was a recommitment to life, to purpose, and to the community that has always held him up. His voice cracked. The audience stood. And somewhere between the laughter and the tears, Jamie Foxx reminded the world why he’s not just an icon of entertainment—but of resilience.
As the lights dimmed on the Peacock Theater, Stevie Wonder’s words echoed one more time in hearts across the room and online: “Jamie Foxx is more than a performer. He’s a survivor, and now, he’s a man with even more to give.”
