Actress Evangeline Lilly shared a troubling health update on January 2, 2023, revealing that she has been diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury following an accident in Hawaii. While vacationing, she fainted and fell face-first onto a boulder, prompting medical evaluation that led to her diagnosis. Lilly confirmed the extent of her condition through an emotional video posted on her social media.
Health Challenges and Diagnosis
In her video, recorded on January 1, Lilly discussed the findings from her brain scans, stating, “Almost every area in my brain is functioning at a decreased capacity.” The Ant-Man and the Wasp star had previously experienced numerous unexplained fainting episodes, which she detailed in a May 30, 2022, essay on Substack. In that piece, she mentioned that doctors initially evaluated her for epilepsy but eventually diagnosed her with hypoglycemia based on incomplete testing.
As her health issues continued, Lilly underwent extensive blood work that challenged the previous diagnosis of hypoglycemia. “What was interesting was how, even after a 12-hour fast, even after blacking out, my glucose levels never came back as low. Hypoglycemia, it seemed, was being ruled out,” she explained. This uncertainty surrounding her health has been a source of frustration for Lilly, who noted that her husband, Norman Kali, observed that she appeared lifeless during her episodes.
A Focus on Recovery
Despite the difficult news regarding her cognitive health, Lilly expressed her determination to understand the full extent of her injury and to embark on a recovery journey. She acknowledged the challenges ahead, stating, “But now my job is to hit the bottom of that with the doctors and then embark on the hard work of fixing it, which I don’t look forward to because I feel like hard work is all I do.”
At the end of 2022, Lilly made a conscious effort to slow down and prioritize rest, a decision that brought her unexpected peace. Reflecting on the holiday season, she noted, “I think this was the calmest, most restful Christmas holiday I have had, maybe since I had children.”
In her heartfelt message, Lilly expressed gratitude for the support she has received, stating, “Feeling extraordinarily grateful and blessed to be able to play one more day, one more year on this beautiful living planet.” Her openness about her health challenges aims to raise awareness about the implications of brain injuries and the importance of prioritizing mental health.
