Evangeline Lilly shares brain damage diagnosis following Hawaii accident

Evangeline Lilly has revealed that she has brain damage following a traumatic brain injury sustained in an accident in Hawaii.

The actor shared the update in a video message posted to Instagram on Friday, January 2, addressing fans who had been asking about her health.

“Verdict’s in…I do have brain damage from my TBI,” Lilly said. “Comforting to know my cognitive decline isn’t just peri-menopause, discomforting to know what an uphill battle it will be to try to reverse the deficiencies.”

She also thanked her followers for their support, adding, “Thank you all for always asking, for always caring, and for your continued prayers.”

In the video, Lilly explained that medical scans showed reduced function across much of her brain. “The results came back from the scans, and almost every area in my brain is functioning at a decreased capacity,” she said. “So I do have brain damage from the TBI and possibly other factors going on.”

She added that she would be working with doctors to understand the causes better and begin treatment. “But now, my job is to get to the bottom of that with doctors and embark on the hard work of fixing it,” she said, noting that the experience had slowed her pace over the past year.

Following the post, fans and fellow actors responded with messages of support in the comments. Michelle Pfeiffer wrote, “You are a warrior. Nothing — not even this will defeat you, my friend.” Other followers shared messages offering love and prayers.

In May, Lilly previously disclosed that she had blacked out during a trip to Hawaii and fell face-first onto a boulder. She said the accident resulted in a concussion, a traumatic brain injury, tooth damage, and facial injuries.

Lilly has also stated that she has experienced fainting spells since childhood, with doctors previously ruling out epilepsy and attributing them to hypoglycaemia.