Jet Li is very much alive. The legendary martial artist and actor has scaled back his acting career in recent years to focus on endeavors close to his heart. One is his charity foundation, which helps less privileged people in the society. He is also a big believer in the powers of meditation and tai chi and has set up a program that teaches these powerful arts to people.
Is Jet Li Still Alive?
Jet Li is still very much alive. The beloved award-winning actor has retreated from the spotlight in recent times, and this has led to worries about him, but there is nothing wrong with the actor who is renowned for movies such as Shaolin Temple, Lethal Weapon 4, Romeo Must Die, The Expendables, etc.
Jet Li Survived The 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami That Killed Many People
Jet Li has been rumored to have died on at least two occasions, and the first was back in 2004 when the actor and his family got caught up in the tsunami and earthquake that struck communities along the coasts of the Indian Ocean. The natural disaster affected as much as 14 countries and left 227,898 individuals dead. Of course, there was also a major loss in properties and infrastructure.
The tsunami occurred on 26 December 2004, and at that time, Jet Li was vacationing with his family, including his two little daughters, in the Maldives. It made the news that he was in the disaster area and that his manager had been trying to reach him without success. The actor was reported missing, and this distressed many fans who prayed that he and his family members would be found alive.
Their prayers were eventually answered. Li revealed that he and the girls and their nanny had been on the beach when the waves struck. They, therefore, had to quickly make it back to the hotel and climb to the higher floors as the water level rose. Jet Li thus escaped unhurt, and the only thing was a minor injury that he sustained after being hit by a piece of furniture.
The Actor Has Lived With Hyperthyroidism for Over a Decade
Jet Li is not dead, but he does suffer from a health condition known as hyperthyroidism. This is a situation in which the thyroid gland produces excess thyroid hormones. Symptoms include muscle weakness, sleeping problems, weight loss, and fast heartbeat, etc., and vary from individual to individual.
Jet Li was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism in 2010, but he only revealed it to the public in 2013. He also made it known that he had the condition under control. Despite these assurances, people are often quick to raise the issue of the actor’s health at every slightest chance, and he has had to come forward to set the record straight on multiple occasions.
Back in 2016, there were reports that Jet Li‘s hyperthyroidism was worsening. The reports also added that the injuries he sustained from filming were taking a toll on him to the extent that he was not considering using a wheelchair. The reports were so pervasive that Li’s friends even called him to ask him what was up. He, therefore, had to grant an interview to clear the air.
Jet Li clarified that there was nothing to worry about his health and that he had recovered from hyperthyroidism. He cheekily added that a wheelchair company may be behind the false reports about his health and that they may want him to be their spokesman.
Speculations once more swirled about Jet Li’s health in May 2018. On the 19th of that month, he was spotted in Tibet posing for a photo. He visibly looked frail, which was in stark contrast to the strong action man that people were used to seeing in the movies. Even more, it appeared that there was someone holding him up and helping him to remain upright.
Many fans took to social media to express their thoughts. They prayed for Jet Li to get well and stay well, while others said that it was sad to see such an icon in such a condition. Jet Li’s rep put out a statement on the 21st of May 2018 in which he stated that although Li still suffered from hyperthyroidism, it was nothing life-threatening, and he was dealing with it well. The rep appreciated all the outpouring of concern but stated that Jet Li was absolutely fine. According to him, the actor has no life-threatening illness and is in great shape.
Jet Li is battling hyperthyroidism and his frail appearance is quite shocking … pic.twitter.com/tFcBycQZOZ
— TMZ (@TMZ) May 23, 2018
Why Has Jet Li Stopped Acting?
Jet Li has not stopped acting entirely, but he has scaled back his acting career. Many believe that this was due to poor health, but Li has made it known that the reason he scaled back his acting career is to have time for some other passions of his life, one of which is philanthropy.
The experience the actor had in the 2004 tsunami was a life-changing one, making him decide to help humanity as much as he could. In 2007, Jet Li set up the One Foundation in collaboration with the Red Cross Society of China. The foundation aims to encourage people to donate whatever little they can afford for the greater good.
These little sums are then pooled together into a fund that is used to help out the less privileged. The One Foundation focuses on natural disaster relief, environmental protection, poverty alleviation, health, and education. They have helped out with some natural disasters, such as the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, the 2013 Lushan earthquake, and Typhoon Morakot in Taiwan in 2008.
Where Is Jet Li Now?
Jet Li presently lives in Singapore. He migrated to the country in 2009 because he wanted his daughters to get a good education. From Singapore, Jet Lit now visits other parts of the world to pursue various issues that interest him. A look at his Instagram page will show that he and his daughters visited Nepal in December 2022 and January 2023. The purpose of the visit was to meet with Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche, a highly revered Tibetan teacher and master who is renowned for his prowess in mediation.
From his Instagram posts, Jet Li has a very close relationship with Yongey, and this doesn’t come as a surprise given that the actor has set up a program that offers people classes in tai chi and meditation. This was done in conjunction with Jack Ma. Also in 2020, Jet Li visited Ghana in support of Jack Ma’s foundation, which organizes an annual event, Africa’s Business Heroes, in which they reward top entrepreneurs from the continent.
Jet Li’s last movie appearance came in the 2020 Disney live-action remake of Mulan. In it, he played the role of the emperor of China, who ordered the conscription of one male from each household into the army. The titular heroine disguises herself as a man to join and spare her elderly father from such a fate. Jet Li is quite picky with the roles he now accepts and has stated that it was one of his daughters that convinced him to take the supporting role in Mulan.
