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Billy Porter held back tears on TODAY and said it was "a gift to be alive" as he recalled a bout of sepsis that left him in a coma for three days last fall.
Porter, 56, was slated to perform as Emcee for 13 weeks in a Broadway revival of "Cabaret" when he was felled in September 2025 by sepsis, when the body's response to an infection turns life-threatening, according to Mayo Clinic. The production cut its run short after Porter had to withdraw from the show.
Sepsis can result in a rapid drop in blood pressure and cause damage to the lungs, kidneys, liver and other organs, per Mayo Clinic.
Porter opened up on TODAY on March 17 about the ordeal. He said it began with a urinary infection that was "not treated properly," and the infection spread to his kidneys.
"Ended up with kidney stones stuck in the urethra, infection bubbled up into my bloodstream, urosepsis, ECMO machine, three days in a coma, compartment syndrome in my leg," Porter recalled.
An ECMO machine takes over heart and lung function so the organs can rest and recover in life-threatening situations. Compartment syndrome is a painful condition where pressure reduces blood flow to muscles and nerves, according to Cleveland Clinic. It's most common in legs and can be a medical emergency.
"Really, really serious," Porter said. "I am on the road to complete recovery. It is a gift to be alive. It's still emotional to talk about it, and I'm just really happy to be here."
Porter had previously played Emcee in the show’s West End production from Jan. 28, 2025, through May 24, 2025, per Playbill. He was starring opposite Marisha Wallace as Sally Bowles in the fall production of the show before his hospitalization.
The multitalented Porter, whose new children's book, "Songbird in the the Light," was released on March 17, has taken his survival as a sign to push to achieve even more.
"It's been really mind-altering — also inspiring," he said. "My work here on this Earth is not done, and that gives me hope."
Given his success as a writer, director, fashion luminary and screen and stage actor, Porter was asked what's next for him after surviving the health scare.
"You know, I'm trying to rule the world," he said. "I have a production company. I'm trying to create my own material, create my own work from the perspective of where I lean, which is love and hope. I'm a hope guy. We choose it. We choose love. We choose hope. We choose peace. We choose joy, and I'm working on that."
