Miss J Alexander Opens Up About 2022 Stroke and Long Road to Recovery
By Alexus Mosley
Miss J Alexander is sharing his story, and it’s one of resilience.
The former America’s Next Top Model judge revealed that he suffered a debilitating stroke in December 2022, leaving him hospitalized for over a year and temporarily unable to walk or speak. The beloved runway coach, known for shaping some of the most iconic walks in reality TV history, recently opened up about the emotional and physical toll of his recovery journey.
“I miss being the queen of the runway, the queen of the catwalk,” Miss J shared, reflecting on the painful contrast between his past and present. After spending weeks in a coma, he woke up facing a long road back to mobility and speech, a reality he admitted brought him to tears. Still, he remains determined to walk again and return to the world that once defined him.
While some of his former ANTM co-stars, including Jay Manuel and Nigel Barker, visited him during his hospitalization, Miss J noted that Tyra Banks has not yet come to see him in person, though she has reached out via text. The update has sparked conversation among longtime fans of the franchise, many of whom remember the tight-knit dynamic of the show’s judging panel.
Miss J’s recent appearance in Netflix’s Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model offered viewers a rare glimpse into the life behind the runway persona, reminding fans that the figures who shaped reality TV’s most glamorous moments are, at their core, human too.
Despite the challenges, Miss J remains hopeful. “It’s not over for me yet,” he said, and for many who grew up watching him command the catwalk, his determination feels like a comeback worth rooting for.