Former adult star Emily Willis was rushed to hospital for a medical emergency earlier this year, and her condition is thought to be critical.
The adult film star joined the industry in 2018 after dating GirlsDoPorn director, Andre Garcia.
Since her time in the spotlight, Willis has won multiple AVN Awards, including ‘Female Performer of the Year’ in 2021, and as of the end of 2023, she starred in over 700 pornographic productions.
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However, it all took a heart-breaking turn just months later.
What happened to Emily Willis?
Willis 'may never move again', according to a doctor who spoke about the 25-year-old's mysterious condition.
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Earlier this year, the porn star suffered an unexpected cardiac arrest, which saw her undergo eight days in rehab, according to her stepfather Michael.
In May, she came out of a 'vegetative coma', but has since been unable to move, only using her eyes for tracking things.
Her condition, as per Programme Lead for Medical Science at the University of Chester in the UK, Dr Gareth Nye, could be ‘locked-in syndrome’.
He told the Daily Star: "What we are seeing here is the damage to the brain following a lack of oxygen after the cardiac arrest.
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"It is encouraging to see that she seems to be conscious, recognises people, and can track with her eyes. However, it is highly likely she is suffering from a condition called locked-in syndrome."
What is locked-in syndrome?
According to the Clevland Clinic, locked-in syndrome (LiS) is a ‘rare and serious neurological disorder that happens when a part of your brainstem is damaged, usually from a stroke’.
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People who suffer from this disorder can experience total body paralysis, even though they are still conscious, and with their normal cognitive abilities.
Those who have locked-in syndrome cannot consciously or even voluntarily chew, swallow, speak, make any facial expression, or move anything below their eyes, but most people with LiS can move their eyes up and down and side to side.
They can also blink, hear, and understand what people are saying and their situation.
What updates has Emma Willis' family shared?
Willis’ brother, Michael, updated the star’s fans on March 4 via their fundraiser, which spoke of her condition and the journey she has been going though since the start of this year.
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He shared: “Thank you so much to all for all the donations, support, words of encouragement, and sharing your beautiful words and experiences you had with Emily. Our family greatly appreciates all the outpouring love towards her health and recovery!
“To respect Emily's privacy, we cannot reveal information regarding her health, but know all your prayers, love, and support means the world to her and her family.”
Just four days later, he would update again that she was in a ‘vegetative coma and is fighting for her life’.
He explained that: “We have been by her side as she slowly tries to recover, but it will be a challenging journey ahead. The purpose of the GoFundMe campaign is to help her receive the necessary long-term care and other unexpected expenses that we discover while we work through this situation. The road to recovery is difficult and uncertain ahead of us, but we are doing everything we can to make sure Emily gets the care and love she needs.”
As media reports speculated that Willis had overdosed at the time, causing her to be rushed into hospital, Michael was adamant that it is ‘not accurate as far as the doctors and my family know’.
The last update came on May 2, where the family shared that she had Willis was showing ‘signs of responsiveness like eye tracking but is still unable to communicate’.
The fundraiser read: “We have been working with hospitals to get her transferred closer to her home state, so her family can be around her more often during this period of healing. The most important thing loved ones can do is provide stimulus by talking to her, reminiscing about all the fantastic memories, playing her favorite music, photos, and more.
“As of now, we haven't been able to transfer hospitals, but the location she's at provides great rehabilitation, care, and stimulus for her well being.”
While there's been no official update on her current state, Dr Nye commented to The Mirror that if she remains conscious, with her not being able to touch or speak to loved one, it would be an ‘awful experience’ for her.
How can people support Emily Willis?
If you or anyone you know would like to support the adult star in her incredibly challenging road ahead, you can donate to her GoFundMe fundraiser and keep her in your well-wishes.
Topics: Adult Industry, Health
Britt Jones