Watch: Billy Porter Shares Update After Near-Fatal Sepsis Battle
Billy Porter feels good to be back.
After a minor infection turned into a terrifying sepsis ordeal that left the Pose star in a coma, he shared how it felt to be back in his element nearly a year later.
“I was on my death bed for three days in a coma on an ECMO machine,” Porter told E! News’ Keltie Knight in an exclusive interview at Christian Siriano’s NYFW show Sept. 10. “Coming out of that, I’m a whole new person. I feel like I was always on the right path but even more so now.”
Indeed, Porter—who sat front row at the show alongside Brandy, Evan Rachel Wood and Tiffany Haddish—emphasized he’s putting all ten toes down into the strut he calls life.
“The things I believe in,” he explained. “How I show up, it’s even more grounded.”
Despite the terrifying near-death experience, Porter admitted it felt “overwhelming” to receive such support and love throughout his year of recovery.
“It also reminds me of the humanity of the human spirit,” he noted. “A lot of horrible things are going on right now and it’s been so inspiring to know that love does conquer evil. It really, really does.”
The 56-year-old couldn’t fathom the well wishes he received.
“People from all over the world—strangers who just send me messages of prayer and good will and ‘get better,’” he mused. “It’s just healing. It’s been remarkable.”
Meanwhile, the Cinderella actor was thrilled to make his grand return at NYFW, specifically for Siriano’s Spring 2027 show, sporting a grand pink checkered coat created by the Project Runway alum himself—along with sparkly Christian Louboutin heeled boots.
Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Christian Siriano
“I went to my fitting with Christian and you know, he’s my muse, I’m his muse,” Porter detailed. “He’s like, no pants, show the leg.”
Moving his coat to reveal a massive scar that spread from his calf to his thigh, the Emmy winner noted his look put yet another health battle victory on display.
“I’m showing the leg because I had compartment syndrome and that’s when the muscles close in on themselves so I had to have an emergency fasciotomy to save my leg,” Porter shared. “And I’m back in my pumps, b—h. I have legs for days and I’m back in the pump.”
For more stars who stepped out at NYFW, keep reading…
Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images for ALICE + OLIVIA
Diana Zapata/BFA.com
Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage
Matt Borkowski/BFA.com
Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Christian Siriano
Madison Voelkel/BFA.com
MATTHEW BORKOWSKI/BFA
Roy Rochlin/Getty Images for Tory Burch
Stephanie Augello/WWD via Getty Images
Giovanni Giannoni/WWD via Getty Images
Roy Rochlin/Getty Images for Tory Burch
Victor Pagan/Getty Images
Victor Pagan/Getty Images
Michael Loccisano/Getty Images
Nina Westervelt/WWD via Getty Images
Michelle Kammerman/BFA.com/Shutterstock
Maynard Villaflores/BFA
Carl Timpone/BFA.com/Shutterstock
Carl Timpone/BFA.com/Shutterstock
Daniel Rahal
Kelsey Cherry
Mike Vitelli/BFA.com/Shutterstock
Mike Vitelli/BFA.com/Shutterstock
Mike Vitelli/BFA.com/Shutterstock
Weston Kloefkorn
Dominik Bindl/Getty Images
Dominik Bindl/Getty Images
Dominik Bindl/Getty Images
Zimo De Vera
Dominik Bindl/Getty Images
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