Months after Evangeline Lilly mentioned a serious fall, she has now shared that the incident also caused brain damage.
In a recent Instagram post, she stated, “The verdict is in…I have brain damage from a traumatic brain injury. It’s somewhat reassuring to know that my cognitive decline isn’t solely due to perimenopause, but it’s also daunting to realize how difficult it will be to fight back against it.”
“I really appreciate everyone who has been so supportive and caring.”
In a video accompanying her post, the 46-year-old “Hobbit” actress opened up about the bad news related to her concussions. She shared that scan results showed significant areas of cognitive decline.
“I have brain damage from a traumatic brain injury, and there are likely other underlying factors as well,” she explained.
Lilly mentioned her current focus is on collaborating with doctors to address the issue, describing the upcoming work as a challenging journey. While she feels somewhat apprehensive about it, she also understands that hard work is necessary.
After announcing her retirement from acting in June 2024, Lilly reflected on the physical injuries she experienced when she fell on a rocky beach earlier this year.
In her social media updates, she detailed how she “passed out on the beach and fell face-first onto a rock,” also including photos illustrating her injuries, which were quite severe.
She noted that she lost consciousness again on her way to the hospital, where medical staff prioritized understanding the cause of her blackout over treating her injuries.
Lilly recalled an “annoying” moment in the hospital, expressing her frustration with a lack of clear answers. She shared her history of fainting spells, stating that, as a child, doctors had initially considered epilepsy before deciding on a diagnosis of hypoglycemia, which she later felt was trivial, especially as other health issues arose.
Ultimately, she reflected on a deeper existential thought, suggesting that when someone suffers enough pain and stress, there might be a longing for a return to a spiritual state.
In her conclusion, Lilly shared that she’s not alone in facing such unexplained fainting experiences, citing a hospital nurse’s words about many patients suffering from similar ambiguous symptoms.
She regards her non-medical diagnosis as an opportunity to discover that sometimes, it’s better to feel than to know definitively.
