Miss J Alexander Spent Five Weeks in a Coma After 2022 Stroke, Reveals Progress

Miss J Alexander has opened up about a life-altering health crisis that left him unable to walk or speak. In the third episode of a new documentary series, the veteran runway coach described waking in a hospital after suffering a stroke on December 27, 2022 (ET), spending five weeks in a coma and the slow, emotional work of reclaiming his body and voice.

Health ordeal and hospital stay

Alexander recounted the immediate aftermath of the stroke with blunt candor. He said he woke up disoriented in a hospital room and faced the stark reality that he could not move or communicate. "I spent five weeks in a coma, and I couldn’t walk. And I couldn’t talk, " he said. The runway coach admitted the experience overwhelmed him: he cried and did not shy away from describing the fear and uncertainty that followed those early days.

The scale of the setback was profound for someone whose life and work have been defined by movement. Alexander, who taught models the signature catwalk that made him a familiar face across 18 cycles of America’s Next Top Model, acknowledged the loss he felt when he thought about not being able to do what he loves. Yet even in that moment he voiced a determination to come back: "I’m determined to walk. I’m sure you’re gonna see me again, I’m sure. It’s not over for me yet. "

Support from colleagues and emotional reunions

During his hospital recovery, Alexander received visits that meant a great deal to him. Two longtime colleagues, Nigel Barker and Jay Manuel, recalled the emotional weight of seeing him so diminished and suffering. Barker described a moment in the hospital when the two men wept together; the image underscored how serious the situation was and how deeply it affected those closest to him.

Manuel reflected on how upset Alexander appeared and the difficulty of imagining his state of mind during that time. Both colleagues emphasized the stark contrast between the man who once ruled the runway and the fragile figure they encountered at his bedside. Their visits were framed as acts of solidarity and friendship, and they later reunited with Alexander for the documentary, where progress—however incremental—was visible.

When asked about contact with other former castmates, Alexander said he had received a text from one notable figure expressing a wish to visit, though a visit had not yet occurred. The outreach itself was presented as another source of comfort amid the long road back to health.

Recovery, outlook and what’s next

Alexander’s current state, as shown in the documentary, reflects improvement: he is able to sit up, hold conversations and even deliver the dry humor that helped define his public persona. Those small victories were highlighted by his friends, who noted how far he had come from those early hospital days when he could barely move or speak.

Despite the progress, Alexander was candid about the work ahead. His primary goal is simple and central to his identity: to walk again and return to the catwalks he once ruled. He framed his recovery not as a finished chapter but as an ongoing fight. "I miss being the queen of the runway, " he said, pointing to a future in which he hopes to reclaim that role.

For now, Alexander’s story is one of resilience and the human bonds that can make a difficult recovery possible. Friends’ visits, small improvements in mobility and the determination he voiced on camera paint a picture of someone focused on comeback rather than defeat. As he continues rehabilitation, supporters say his wit and spirit remain intact—and he’s determined to prove that this is not the final walk of his career.