- Jackie Miller James, 36, suffered from a brain aneurysm in June last year
- She was placed into a medically-induced coma and gave birth via C-section
- The California-based influencer has now shared a health update
An influencer who delivered her baby while in a coma has spoken out for the first time since she collapsed from a brain aneurysm one year ago – as she revealed she is now suffering from aphasia and has ‘limited’ use of her limbs.
Jackie Miller James, 36, was heavily pregnant when she collapsed to the ground in June 2023 before being found by husband Austin.
The mom-to-be was rushed to hospital and placed into a medically-induced coma while daughter Knoxly was born by emergency caesarean and spent her first 12 days in the NICU.
One year after her terrifying health incident, Jackie has given fans an update on her health as she revealed she’s ready to ‘reclaim her life,’ but is finding it difficult to make a full recovery due to her ongoing battle with aphasia.
Jackie took to Instagram earlier today to give her 89,000 followers the latest on her health journey as she credited the love and support of her fans for getting her through the difficult year.
‘Thank you for all of your love and support, we have been in hospitals from California, Colorado, Nebraska and Kansas, it’s been a tough year.
‘There is more work to be done but because of friends and family and this community, we’re ready to start living again. I’ll be sharing my journey and recovery, but from the bottom of my heart, thank you,’ she said in the heartfelt message.
In the caption, Jackie further dived into the details of her recovery, where she revealed she is suffering from aphasia – the loss of ability to understand or express speech – as the mom-of-one shared the various challenges she has faced since her medical scare.
She said: ‘What a year it’s been for me and my family. Last May, I was given a 50/50 chance of making it through the night… and now I’m here writing you.
‘One week from the due date of our first child, my husband, Austin, found me collapsed in our living room. I had suffered an aneurysm rupture in my brain. After a month in the ICU here in Orange County, we traveled from hospital to hospital pursuing continued therapies that would help me learn to live again.
‘I still struggle with aphasia, which impacts my speech, and have limited use of my right arm and leg. But, I’m more motivated than ever to keep putting in the work. I look forward to sharing more about my unique journey in the hopes that it helps others going through trauma. There is hope!
‘While recovery has had some incredibly tough moments, having my 10-month old daughter Knoxly by my side has been my source of motivation. And throughout it all, Austin has been my rock. Friends and family have also stepped up in truly amazing ways to support us from the very beginning. Thank you, mom!
‘The journey to reclaim my life is ongoing but I’m grateful for this community and the opportunity to share my story with you. I hope to offer empathy, provide hope, and bring awareness to the risks women face in pregnancy.
‘More to come, but for now, from the bottom of my heart, thank you all!’
Last year, Jackie was left fighting for her life after her husband found her passed out on their living room floor.
Just days after the horrifying incident, her family shared the news that she had given birth to a daughter via C-section while still in a coma.
When the baby arrived, Jackie’s family revealed that the influencer would remain in the hospital for the ‘foreseeable future.’
At the time, the new mom was put on life support after undergoing five separate brain procedures.
She was expected to remain in the ICU for weeks, and required substantial therapy and assistance.
Her sisters Natalie and Nicelle began fundraising for her via GoFundMe in an attempt to share updates about her health journey and ensure that they could bring her home safely.
‘If Jackie and the baby arrived a few minutes later at the hospital, we likely would have lost both of them.
‘But instead, Jackie is continuing to fight for her life each day and we are optimistic she can beat the odds by surrounding her with the right specialists and methods of therapy.
‘While the road will be long, we are committed to bringing Jackie home to her daughter and husband,’ the GoFundMe read.
One month later, her family said that they were ‘beyond thrilled’ to be sharing that the mom-of-one was ‘performing above expectations at this stage of her recovery.’
‘Jackie is awake and was recently transferred to one of the best neurological rehabilitation hospitals in the country,’ they wrote.
‘The doctors have been pleased upon her latest tests, numbers and evaluations, noting that Jackie is performing above expectations at this stage of her recovery.
Although her family was overjoyed with the progress, they knew Jackie still had a long road to recovery.
However, they remained positive due to her daughter, who was a ‘constant source of light for the entire family’ through the harrowing ordeal.
‘[She] continues to grow into a happy, healthy, and animated little angel.
‘Jackie has also recently been reunited with her baby, and spends a great deal of each day with her entire family while in the hospital.’
Just weeks before her harrowing health ordeal, Jackie took to Instagram to show off her beauty in a slew of glamorous snaps.
In the caption, she revealed that she was 39 weeks pregnant.
On the same day, Jackie posted a series of photos showing the ‘pregnancy symptoms [she] was not expecting.’
Among those was snoring so bad that her husband couldn’t sleep and ‘hysterically crying no reason at all.’
Jackie became a social media star in 2021 after working as a professional backup dancer in New York.
Prior to her dancing career, she spent six years working for a Beverly Hills plastic surgeon.
She said she was always fascinated by Botox, cosmetics and beauty and wanted a forum to discuss them honestly.
Jackie also charted her dating dramas before meeting Austin online in 2019.
The pair married in a lavish Napa Valley ceremony in April 2022 that was described as a ‘little bit Cali and a little bit country.’
Sarah Carter is a health and wellness expert residing in the UK. With a background in healthcare, she offers evidence-based advice on fitness, nutrition, and mental well-being, promoting healthier living for readers.
