SINBAD has shared his first public appearance since suffering a debilitating stroke in 2020.
The comedian, who resurfaced at a reunion for his former sitcom A Different World, even made a joke about his recovery.
Sinbad, whose real name is David Adkins, made a virtual appearance during the classic 80’s show casts’ tour of 10 historically black colleges and universities.
The actor starred as Coach Walter Oakes on the NBC sitcom, which was a spinoff of The Cosby Show.
Two days later, the 67-year-old shared a loving update to fans on Instagram.
“Thank you for your prayers, support, and positive thoughts,” he captioned his video. “They’ve carried me this far and will see me through to the finish line. It really is a different world out here!”
In the clip, Sinbad sat in a chair in a simple gray sweatshirt as he watched a video from the reunion.
The left side of his face drooped down, and it looked like he could only gesture with his right hand, as he thanked fans and friends for all their support.
“It means so much when I hear from y’all, and you tell me, ‘Sinbad, keep going.'” he said. “Those words are important, and I feel it.”
He admitted his recovery has been rough, but promised this won’t be the last time the public sees him.
“Expect to see more of me soon. And don’t freak out if you turn around and I’m standing right behind you,” he continued, suddenly switching into a high-pitch voice, imitating a fan. “‘Sinbad, I can’t believe you’re here!'”
Returning to his normal voice, he countered, “You can’t believe it? You better believe it! Miracles happen.”
Sinbad opens headline show ‘Sinbad. Where U Been?’ in 2010
FRIENDS AND FAMILY
Sinbad’s famous friends flooded the comments section with word of encouragement.
“Aw man, I can’t stop grinning!” comedian Wanda Sykes said. “Love you Sinbad! So good to see you brother.”
“GREAT TO SEE YOU BROTHER,” actor and host Terry Crews echoed in all caps.
“Glad to see you doing so well!” director Judd Apatow added. “You were always riotously hilarious and super nice to everyone at the clubs when I was starting out. An inspiration to so many.”
Even Sinbad’s daughter, Paige Adkins, shared her thoughts.
“THAT’S MY DADDY!” she exclaimed in all caps. “I love you so much!! This ish hasn’t been easy + yet you’ve been a model of what it looks like to fight + keep fighting until the victory is won.
“I’m so proud of you and mommy + in awe of the true unconditional grace and love you’ve embodied throughout this season!!
“In your own fight for your life, you inspired + taught me how to fight for mine as well — You were already my hero so I’m not surprised that if anyone were to become a living, breathing miracle it would be you.”
THE STROKE
In November 2020, Sinbad, whose real name is David Adkins, was rushed to the hospital after suffering a stroke.
“It is out of sincere love that we share Sinbad, our beloved husband and father, is recovering from a recent stroke,” his family said in a statement at the time.
“Sinbad is a light source of love and joy for many generations. While he is beginning his road to recovery, we are faithful and optimistic that he will bring laughter into our hearts soon.
“Our family thanks you in advance for your love and support and ask for continued prayers for his healing. We also ask that you please respect our privacy during this time.”
Sinbad’s family later launched a website, where they explained what happened, revealing that the stroke was caused by a blood clot traveling from his heart to his brain.
At the time, he was rushed into surgery where doctors performed a thrombectomy to remove the clot and restore normal blood flow to the brain.
Afterward, his family recalled him talking and moving, however, the next day, another clot was formed and he had to be rushed back into surgery.
According to his family, the second clot caused his brain to swell and doctors had to perform a craniotomy to relieve the pressure and reduce the swelling.
Sinbad was then placed into a medically induced coma and hooked up to a ventilator for several weeks before regaining consciousness.
Nine months after the stroke, in July 2021, he was cleared to go home to continue therapy.
