Anok Yai, the 28-year-old global runway star and newly crowned 2025 Model of the Year, has revealed a previously undisclosed health battle involving a congenital condition that placed severe strain on her heart and lungs.
The supermodel shared her experience on Instagram, detailing how a condition that had been asymptomatic for most of her life escalated over the past year into alarming symptoms, including persistent coughing, chest pain, coughing up blood, and breathing difficulties.
Yai disclosed that the condition was discovered after it became life-threatening, forcing her to confront physical limits she once believed she could outwork.
She has since undergone a successful robotic thoracic surgery, performed by Dr. Robert Cerfolio and his medical team, to remove affected lung tissue.
Expressing deep gratitude to her doctors, family, and close friends, Yai confirmed she is now recovering and optimistic about returning to her career, assuring fans that this is only a temporary pause.
