“Family Matters” Star Jo Marie Payton Reveals She's Recovering from Medical Emergency That Left Her Unable to Walk or Talk
“Family Matters” Star Jo Marie Payton Reveals She's Recovering from Medical Emergency That Left Her Unable to Walk or Talk
Angela AndaloroMon, April 13, 2026 at 4:39 PM UTC
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Jo Marie Payton on 'Familt Matters (left); Jo Marie Payton in 2026Credit: Monty Brinton/CBS via Getty; JoMarie Payton/Facebook -
Jo Marie Payton has revealed a medical emergency left her unable to walk or talk
The Family Matters actress, 75, has spent the last five months in recovery, and was standing and speaking in her latest update video
Payton made her first public appearance since experiencing complications with her health last month
Jo Marie Payton has shared an update on her health.
The 75-year-old actress, best known for playing Harriette Winslow on Family Matters and for voicing The Proud Family's matriarch Suga Mama, posted an update about her health in a Facebook post celebrating Easter earlier this month.
"Two months ago, I couldn't walk. I couldn't talk, at the start of this last year. But I'm walking better than I thought I would, talking better than I thought I would talk. I'm doing okay. Keep praying for me, I'll be back," she says in the video.
The caption reads, "Hello All!! Happy Easter and Thank You for all your prayers. It’s been a long 5 months, stay with me. I’ll be back! Slow and steady wins the race."
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The post marks Payton's first update on social media since October 2025. She has not shared the nature of the medical emergency she is recovering from with her followers.
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Last month, Payton made her first appearance of 2026 at the Boynton Beach Women’s Empowerment Luncheon, where she shared inspirational messages to the young women in attendance.
"Be true to whoever you are. Just be you. Be true to you, be faithful to you. And be faithful, because God is good," she said at the gathering.
In Sept. 2025, Payton sat down for an interview with Ice Cream Convos, where she talked about playing a matriarch once again in Tyler Perry's Miss Governor, with costar Terri J. Vaughn, who first met Payton on the set of Family Matters in 1994.
"When Antoinette got in that position, she didn’t come there by herself, she came with a family. That happens in real life, too. You love your family no matter what, and I love this role because we get to travel all these journeys through life," she shared.
Later, she added, "Sometimes you’ve got to laugh to keep from crying. But you’ve also got to face the situation. That’s what this show does, it gives us a way to do both."
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
