In a sobering reminder of the fragility of life, actor and singer Donald Glover recently revealed he experienced two major health scares in 2024. At only 41 years old, Glover learned that he’d had a stroke and a hole in his heart.
At the time, Glover didn’t go into detail. In a since-deleted post on X, he wrote: “After my show in New Orleans, I went to the hospital in Houston to make sure of an ailment that had become apparent. After being assessed, it became clear I would not perform that night, and after more tests, I could not perform the rest of the U.S. tour in the time asked. As of now, I have surgery scheduled and need time out to heal.”
Donald Glover in a Childish Gambino video – YouTube, Donald Glover
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Now we know exactly how serious the ailment was.
What Happened to Donald Glover?
Glover has two careers. As an actor, he goes by his given name. For his music, he uses the moniker Childish Gambino.
Last weekend, during a show as Childish Gambino, Glover explained what had happened. While in Louisiana, on his 2024 The New World Tour, he had “a really bad pain” in his head and trouble seeing. He pushed through the show despite that. At his next stop in Houston, he went to the hospital, “and the doctor was like,” Glover explained, “‘You had a stroke.'”
Childish Gambino reveals that he had a stroke and a hole was found in his heart and is why he had to stop his tour pic.twitter.com/YxeQYBWDBA
— Dat (@DatDaDatty) November 23, 2025
Glover joked that his first thought was, “Here I am, still copying Jamie Foxx.”
A year earlier, Foxx — also an actor and musician — had been hospitalized for over a month with a mystery illness. He later explained that he’d suffered a stroke.
“We still don’t know exactly what happened to me,” Foxx said during a standup special. “All I can tell you is that I appreciate every prayer because I needed it.”
Donald Glover playing Lando Calrissian in Solo – Disney+
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Growing more serious, Glover admitted that his actual first thought was, “I’m letting everybody down.” He mentioned Ireland specifically—a place he’d promised to visit and still hasn’t performed. He also briefly mentioned a broken foot. Glover also said doctors found a hole in his heart, which required two surgeries to repair. Recounting his experiences made Glover reflective.
“They say everybody has two lives and the second life starts when you realize you have one. You got one life, guys. And I gotta be honest, the life I’ve lived with you guys has been such a blessing,” he told the audience. “You should be living your life how you want. If we have to do this again, it can only get better.”
What’s Next for Donald Glover?
Under the Childish Gambino name, Glover has released six albums and won five Grammy Awards. Even before his stroke, Glover had decided to retire the persona. In July 2024, he told The New York Times, “It’s not fulfilling. And I just felt like I didn’t need to build in this way anymore.”
Many fans are still hoping that Glover and the rest of the Community cast will reunite for the long-promised movie. The sitcom, which started in 2009 and ran for six tumultuous seasons, was a major building block of Glover’s acting career. Glover played Troy, the dim-witted jock of a community college study group.
Some fans have accused Glover of being the reason why the movie has yet to go into production, which series creator Dan Harmon denies.
Dan Harmon tells Variety that the “Community” movie is indeed coming — and Donald Glover is not the reason it’s taking a while.
“I saw where Donald Glover said he’s hearing from fans that they think he’s the reason the movie’s not happening sooner,” Harmon says. “I immediately… pic.twitter.com/Euf0KIswGR
— Variety (@Variety) June 24, 2024
“[Glover] wants to do the movie, stop haranguing him!” Harmon told Variety in June 2024, “He’s not the reason, no single human being could be the reason for delays.”
While Glover isn’t confirmed to return for the animated Beyond the Spider-Verse as the voice of Miles Morales’ Uncle Aaron/The Prowler, it’s clear he isn’t finished despite last year’s setbacks.
Donald Glover performing Stand up Comedy – YouTube, Comedy Central
As he told the crowd last weekend, he loves performing and believes that “life can only get better.”
Were you surprised to hear that Donald Glover had a stroke and hole in his heart? What do you think is next for the actor? Let us know in the comments!
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