Anok Yai Reveals Congenital Defect After Successful Surgery

Supermodel Anok Yai revealed on Friday that she has been battling a congenital defect affecting her heart and lungs, culminating in a successful robotic surgery the previous day. The 28-year-old, who recently won Model of the Year at the 2025 Fashion Awards, shared details of her yearlong health struggle in an Instagram post accompanied by videos of her hospital recovery.

Yai described the condition as one that had remained asymptomatic for most of her life until symptoms emerged about a year ago. "For the past year I've been dealing with this silent battle," she wrote. "I incidentally found out I had a congenital defect overworking my heart and slowly destroying my lungs." What began as a lingering cough progressed to chest pains, episodes of coughing up blood, and difficulty breathing, according to her account. She initially continued working while seeking the appropriate medical care, but her condition worsened, prompting her to prioritize treatment. "I chose to work through this while trying to find the right doctor and the right time," Yai explained. "I quickly realized there was never going to be a right time; my health would continue to worsen."