Influencer wakes from coma, reunites with baby after suffering ruptured brain aneurysm at 9 months pregnant
Social media influencer Jackie Miller James, who simultaneously went through brain surgery and a C-section in May, is now awake, according to a statement shared by her family.
At nine months pregnant, James suffered a brain aneurysm. James was she was put in a medically-induced coma, and her baby girl was hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit for 12 days due to the “traumatic” nature of her birth.
On July 2, nearly one month after the last update on her condition, James' family revealed in a statement that she is conscious and has been transferred to a neurological rehabilitation hospital.
James' daughter "continues to grow into a happy, healthy and animated little angel," the family said in a message posted to the social media influencer's Instagram page.
The new mom was recently "reunited" with her baby. James spends "a great deal of each day with her entire family," they added.
James is also on an "incredibly long road to recovery," according to the statement. Doctors are "pleased" by her recently tests and evaluations and, the family said, she's "performing above expectations" relative to her current stage of recovery.
"Thanking each and every one of you from the bottom of our hearts for your continued love. We are eternally grateful for this strong community that continues to support our girl," the family concluded in the statement, adding that any future updates will come from James herself "if and when she is ready."
After James' medical emergency in May, her family started a GoFundMe where they described what happened. They said one week ahead of her due date, James experienced severe brain bleeding and was found by her husband, Austin. She was immediately hospitalized, put in a coma and underwent at least five brain surgeries. (TODAY.com verified the validity of the GoFundMe page with a spokesperson for the fundraising platform.)
On June 6, the family provided an update on her condition, sharing that James' newborn was out of the neonatal intensive care unit but the new mom was expected to remain in the hospital for the "foreseeable future."
The fundraising page, created by James' sisters, has raised more than $300,000 of its $450,000 goal. The donations are intended to cover health care costs outside of insurance, including speech therapy, physical therapy and home modifications. Any unused funds will be donated to similar charities, according to the GoFundMe post.
James gained a social media following after posting beauty and relationship content, including photos from her wedding in 2022. When her story was first shared in early June, James had about 30,000 Instagram followers, including Sofia Richie and Adrienne Bailon-Houghton. Her account now has more 76,000 followers.
This article was originally published on TODAY.com
