Miss J Alexander Spent Five Weeks in a Coma After 2022 Stroke, Shares Road to Recovery
Miss J Alexander, the longtime runway coach and fixture from America's Next Top Model, revealed he suffered a stroke on December 27, 2022 (ET) that left him unable to walk or speak and saw him spend five weeks in a coma. In a candid segment of a new documentary series, he described the initial shock of waking in a hospital and the emotional toll of relearning basic abilities while leaning on former colleagues for support.
Waking up in the hospital: the first days
“On December 27th of 2022, I had a stroke, ” Miss J said in the documentary. “I woke up. I didn’t know where I was other than in the hospital. I spent five weeks in a coma, and I couldn’t walk. And I couldn’t talk. And I thought to myself, what was I going to do? I couldn’t walk; I couldn’t speak. ”
The coach recalled the crushing reality of being stripped of the physical skills that defined his career. He described crying in those early days and not feeling ashamed of showing emotion. That vulnerability framed the interviews throughout the episode, offering a stark portrait of a public figure confronting a private medical crisis.
Medical details in the segment focus on the immediate aftermath: prolonged unconsciousness, intensive rehabilitation and the slow, difficult process of reestablishing speech and mobility. The program follows several visits and rehabilitation milestones, showing how basic tasks became goals and how progress came in small, hard-won steps.
Friends, colleagues and the long road forward
Former colleagues visited and offered visible emotional support during his recovery. One longtime collaborator remembered holding him and crying during a hospital visit, describing the sight as shocking and heartbreaking. Another recalled feeling the depth of Miss J’s distress and trying to provide comfort amid an uncertain prognosis.
Those reunions captured both the gravity of the situation and the incremental victories that followed. One visitor reflected on how far Miss J had come between that early hospital appearance—when he could barely move and speak—and the present moment in the documentary, where he was sitting up, chatting and making those around him laugh.
When asked about outreach from other familiar faces from the show, Miss J said he had received a text from one former co-star expressing a wish to visit, but that an in-person visit had not yet occurred. That exchange underscored how recovery unfolds on its own timeline and reminded viewers that gestures of support can take many forms.
Determination and next steps
Despite the severity of the stroke and the months of rehabilitation that followed, Miss J made clear that he remains determined to return to the work that he loves. “I miss being the queen of the runway, ” he said. “The catwalks, of course. I’m the person who taught models how to walk. And now I can’t walk... Not yet. I’m determined to walk. I’m sure you’re gonna see me again, I’m sure. It’s not over for me yet. ”
The documentary frames his outlook as a mix of realism and resolve: honest about limitations but focused on recovery milestones and the eventual hope of returning to the runway. It also uses his story as a reminder of the fragility of health and the importance of a supportive community when crises strike.
Miss J’s account offers a rare, intimate look at the aftermath of a life-altering medical event and the steady, often unseen work of rehabilitation. As he continues to rebuild strength and speech, he framed his journey not as a closed chapter but as the next act in a long career—one he intends to reclaim step by determined step.
