‘ANTM’s Miss J Alexander Reveals He Had a Stroke & Shares If Tyra Banks Visited Him

America’s Next Top Model runway coach Miss J Alexander shared a major update in the new docuseries Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model. On December 27, 2022, Miss J had a stroke, and he is still relearning how to walk more than three years later.

“I woke up, I didn’t know where I was, other than the hospital,” Miss J shared. “I spent five weeks in a coma. I couldn’t walk, I couldn’t talk.” He gave a tour of the small room he stayed in for more than a year after the medical emergency.

“It was emotional,” Miss J admitted. “I cried. I’m not ashamed to say I cried.” He also revealed that Jay Manuel and Nigel Barker, both of whom he worked with on America’s Next Top Model, visited him in the hospital.

“I don’t know if he wanted me to see him in that way, but I was going to see him,” Barker said. “That was such a terrible shock and really upsetting and horrifying and scary.” Manuel added, “I could feel how upset he was, for sure. I can’t even imagine where he was in his mind.”

Barker recalled crying with Miss J and holding him. “I thought back to when we used to do shows together,” Miss J remembered. “I just missed them so much.”

The three creatives reunited on the set of the docuseries, and Manuel noted, “You’re speaking so much better now.” Barker could tell his friend was getting emotional, and he offered Miss J some encouraging words.

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“You’re battling through,” he assured him. “When we first saw you in the hospital, you could barely walk, barely talk, and now you’re sitting up, doing an interview, rolling your eyes, making us laugh. It’s a long journey, but you’re going to get there. I know it’s been really, really hard.”

As Barker got up to hug Miss J and comfort him, Manuel added, “The thing is, you’re here. That’s the thing.”

Miss J couldn’t help but get emotional as he realized all that he had lost. “I miss being the queen of the runway, the queen of the catwalk, of course,” he said. “I’m the person who taught models how to walk. I taught models how to walk, and now I can’t walk.”

However, he was optimistic about the future. “Not YET,” he continued. “Not yet. I’m determined to walk. I’m sure you’re going to see me again. I’m sure. It’s not over for me yet.”

A producer asked if Tyra Banks had visited Miss J at any point since the stroke. “No, not yet,” he said. “She sent me a text that she wants to come and visit me, but no. Not yet.”

Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model, Streaming Now, Netflix