Miss J Alexander (born Alexander Jenkins), the longtime runway coach and early on-air personality from the original run of “America’s Next Top Model,” disclosed in the Netflix documentary “Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model” that he suffered a major stroke on December 27, 2022. After being placed in a coma for five weeks, he then emerged unable to walk or speak. He spent more than a year in hospital care before beginning the slow process of relearning basic functions, the docuseries reports. 

Alexander, who was a fixture on “ANTM” from its 2003 debut through 18 cycles and later appeared on international editions and other fashion programs, described the ordeal as devastating for someone whose career depended on movement and performance. 

In the series, he recounted waking from the coma to find himself unable to walk or speak and how devastating the life change was for him. "I'm not ashamed to say that I cried," Miss J shared. "I miss being the queen of the runway. The catwalks, of course. I’m the person who taught models how to walk." Miss J even taught Tyra Banks how to strut the runway as a teen model, which was one of the major reasons the host wanted him on the show. She called him “the real deal.”

Alexander’s condition has kept him largely out of the public eye since 2022, and the docuseries’ interviews and archival material document both his influence on fashion television and the severity of his post-stroke recovery. 

He shared that since his health declined, he’s been delighted to have visitors and former colleagues — including fellow “ANTM” judges Jay Manuel and Nigel Barker — offering their support during parts of his recovery. Barker shared, "I don’t know whether he even wanted me to see him in that way. I was going to go see him. And that was just such a terrible shock and really upsetting and horrifying and scary."

When asked if Banks had visited him, Miss J said, “Not yet.” Although he said that Banks has texted him saying that she wants to visit. He shared that he has regained some speech, but continues to relearn mobility and aims to walk again. Miss J stressed determination and resilience and said, “It’s not over for me yet.”