TV LOST Star Evangeline Lilly has confirmed she is living with long‑term brain damage following a traumatic fall in May 2025

Evangeline Lilly has confirmed she is living with long‑term brain damage following a traumatic fall in May 2025, when she fainted on a beach in Hawaii and struck her face on a boulder. In a “concussion update” video posted to Instagram on January 2, 2026, she told fans that new brain scans show “almost every area” of her brain is now functioning at a decreased capacity, and doctors have diagnosed her with brain damage from a traumatic brain injury.

Lilly explained that she initially believed many of her symptoms were tied to perimenopause but the scans clarified that cognitive problems such as memory issues and mental fatigue stem largely from the TBI. She described the prognosis as an “uphill battle,” saying her next step is to work closely with doctors to understand the full extent of the damage and build a long‑term treatment and rehabilitation plan.

Despite calling the news “discomforting,” Lilly said the injury has unexpectedly forced her to slow down, giving her a calmer, more restful end to 2025 and a new appreciation for stepping back from a relentless work pace. She has previously written about lifelong fainting spells and shared photos of her injuries shortly after the fall, but says having concrete scan results is “comforting” in at least confirming that her cognitive decline has a clear medical cause. In her recent posts she thanked fans and fellow actors for their continued prayers and messages, saying their support has helped her face the uncertainty of recovery with a sense of peace.