Anok Yai reveals congenital heart-lung defect, undergoes robotic lung surgery
Model says a congenital defect has overworked her heart and destroyed her lungs; surgeons performed a robotic thoracic operation and she is healing.
Supermodel Anok Yai revealed Friday that she has a congenital defect that has quietly wreaked havoc on her body, overworking her heart and destroying her lungs. The 28-year-old model, who was named the Fashion Awards’ 2025 Model of the Year, disclosed the diagnosis in a post that included videos and photos from her hospital stay.
The revelation comes as Yai detailed how the condition evolved over the past year. She said what began as something asymptomatic for most of her life gradually manifested into a lingering cough, chest pains, episodes of coughing up blood, and, at times, difficulty breathing. “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,” she wrote in accompanying captions. “Ive always thought I could outwork or outrun anything but the universe has a way of slowing you down and waking you up.”
In a subsequent post, Yai announced that she recently underwent a robotic lung surgery, describing the outcome as a success. “So yesterday I had a successful Robotic Lung Surgery thanks to Dr. Robert Cerfolio and his gracious and talented team who I am forever indebted to for giving me more time,” she wrote, thanking the surgeons and the medical staff who supported her care. The post credited Dr. Harmik Soukiasian and everyone at Beverly Hills Concierge Health for discovering the condition, and extended gratitude to the doctors and nurses at NYU Langone for their care and to her friends and family for being the first faces she saw upon waking.
Yai emphasized that she is in a healing phase and that she intends to return to her work. “For now I’m healing … but I’ll be back. See ya,” she added in a later message.
The health revelation arrives a few months after a separate moment in her public life. In December 2024, she publicly asked the British Fashion Awards not to nominate her for future honors after losing the Model of the Year title to Alex Consani. In a now-deleted X post, she said she felt exhausted by the state of the fashion industry, while also praising Consani and stressing that her frustration was not aimed at her peer. The episode highlighted the pressures that accompany a high-profile career in fashion, even as Yai continued to break ground in the industry.
Born in Egypt and raised in New Hampshire, Yai has been a prominent presence on international runways and campaigns. She was widely noted for opening Prada shows and for her trailblazing path as one of the few Black models to reach such high-profile milestones. The health update adds another chapter to a career defined as much by resilience as by modeling success.
Medical guidance on robotic thoracic surgery describes it as a minimally invasive procedure used to remove diseased lung tissue and surrounding lymph nodes. The American Lung Association describes the approach as designed to reduce recovery times and minimize incision-related risks compared with traditional open surgery. Yai’s team publicly acknowledged the seriousness of her condition while also underscoring the treatment’s intent: to improve long-term health and extend her life.
As she recovers, the fashion community and fans have extended their support. Colleagues and followers have offered well-wishes and messages of encouragement to Yai, who has become a figure of perseverance for many in the industry.