Supermodel Anok Yai has opened up about a year-long battle with a congenital heart and lung defect, which she says was “overworking her heart and slowly destroying her lungs.” The 28-year-old runway star, recently named Fashion Awards 2025 Model of the Year, shared her health journey in a candid Instagram post.
The first Black model to open a Prada runway show described how what began as a minor, asymptomatic issue escalated over time. “What started as something asymptomatic for the majority of my life turned into a lingering cough, which turned to chest pains, bouts of coughing up blood, then at times struggling to breathe,” Yai wrote.
Acknowledging her resilience, she added, “I’ve always thought I could outwork or outrun anything but the universe has a way of slowing you down and waking you up.”
Yai revealed she recently underwent a major robotic thoracic surgery, a minimally invasive procedure used to remove diseased lung tissue and lymph nodes. The operation, performed by Dr. Robert Cerfolio and his team, was successful.
She expressed gratitude to the medical professionals who discovered the condition before it became more serious. “I am forever grateful for Dr. Harmik Soukiasian and everyone at Beverly Hills Concierge Health for discovering my condition,” she wrote. She also thanked the doctors and nurses at NYU Langone, as well as friends and family for their support during her recovery.
“For now I’m healing … but I’ll be back. See ya,” Yai concluded, signaling optimism as she begins the road to full recovery.