Sinbad’s family have provided new details on the comedian’s recovery after suffering from a stroke in 2020. On a newly launched website to support his rehabilitation, they shared that he has “made significant progress beyond what anyone expected, but there are still miles to go.”
In a detailed account, the family confirmed that Sinbad – née David Adkins – experienced an ischemic stroke on October 25th, 2020 due to a blood clot that had traveled from his heart to his brain. Despite a successful surgery, another blood clot formed and he underwent a second surgery, and later suffered from brain swelling and bleeding. He was then placed on a ventilator and spent nearly nine months in hospitals and acute care facilities before returning home in July 2021.
During his initial recovery, Sinbad took “weeks” to “open his eyes, speak, or show signs of basic mobility” and he could not “move his left side or simply hold his head up.” He has subsequently taken on an “intense” regimen of physical, occupational, and speech therapy and continues “fighting for every inch.”
“His progress is nothing short of remarkable,” the family shared. “Limbs that were said to be ‘dead’ are coming alive and he’s taking the steps necessary to learn to walk again.” They also included a message from the comedian himself, saying, “I am not done. I will not stop fighting until I can walk across the stage again.”
Elsewhere, his full statement reads: “Thank God for everything He’s given you, even if it’s not everything you asked for. Thank God for family and hug the ones you love while you’re still with them. We need each other to get through this journey. I can’t wait to see you all again soon. As always, stay funky, stay prayed up.”
Though his survival odds are approximately 30% per his family, they note that “Sinbad has already beaten the odds and has made significant progress beyond what anyone expected, but there are still miles to go.”
They revealed that one obstacle has been that the “costs of therapy far exceed what insurance covers and it has taken its toll on the family financially.” A gifting option on the website is dedicated to the Adkins Trust “to help provide for Sinbad’s care and help him continue to fight this battle.”
