Aga Khan University’s care: Actress Jenifer Lewis recounts Africa trip accident
Hollywood actress Jenifer Lewis, best known for her role in the hit series “Black-ish,” has shared the harrowing account of her near-death experience during a trip to Africa in 2022.
Jenifer highly spoke about the role played by medical professionals at Aga Khan University in saving her life.
Speaking for the first time about her terrifying ordeal on Good Morning America with Robin Roberts, Lewis recounted the heart-stopping moment when she fell from a balcony at a hotel in Serengeti, Tanzania, following a day of exploration in the scenic wilderness.
Describing the incident, Lewis vividly recalled the sensation of walking into darkness after losing her footing on the balcony. “A lightning bolt went through my mind’s eye … in (the) pitch black, I didn’t know I was falling,” she recounted.
Despite sustaining severe injuries to her shoulder and right hip upon impact, Lewis summoned her strength and resilience, urging herself to move amidst the pain.
“Nothing would move. So, I laid there, I said, ‘Move your body, baby. Come on, Jenny. Move your body,'” she bravely shared.
In a remote location far from immediate medical assistance, Lewis’s rescue was fraught with challenges.
Eventually, Doctors Without Borders staff airlifted her to Nairobi, Kenya, where she underwent a grueling 10-hour surgery at Aga Khan University Hospital to repair a fractured acetabulum.
Recalling her hospitalization, Lewis expressed profound gratitude for the compassionate care she received from the Nairobi community.
“The Nairobians were a beautiful, sweet people. They took such good care of me,” she remarked.
“They picked me up like I was a baby, they had to wash me. I could not move, I could walk for eight months after this. I want to thank the people at Aga Khan university, they took care of me, they braided my hair, they even gave me an extra piece of chicken,” she humorously said.
Reflecting on her journey to recovery, Lewis emphasized the importance of physical well-being in overcoming adversity.
“Had I not been in good shape when the accident happened, I would not have managed,” she acknowledged.
In the face of her challenging recovery, Lewis found solace in the resilience of the human spirit, urging others to persevere through their own setbacks.
“Whether it’s falling out of a relationship, falling out with your parents, falling down physically, any fall, I wanna tell the world, ‘Oh yes, you can get up,'” she said.
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