Corey Feldman says food poisoning, not serious illness, caused in-flight medical scare

Corey Feldman broke his silence Wednesday about the frightening mid-flight medical emergency that landed him in a Los Angeles hospital earlier this week, telling fans the initial diagnosis that spread through the media was wrong and that he is now recovering from a simple case of food poisoning.

The 54-year-old actor suffered the medical emergency aboard a flight from Chicago to Los Angeles on Monday afternoon and was met by paramedics at the gate upon arrival at LAX. His publicist confirmed to USA Today that after resting overnight and undergoing an MRI, Mr. Feldman was diagnosed with a severe case of food poisoning and that he is doing much better and is now out of the hospital.

Writing in all capital letters on Instagram, Mr. Feldman said a doctor initially misdiagnosed him and that a member of the medical staff then shared that preliminary finding with the press. Sources close to the actor had told TMZ that doctors initially suspected the issue might be pancreatitis or gallstones. Mr. Feldman pushed back on that characterization in his post.

“It was only food poisoning thank God!” he wrote. “I’ll b ok. Now back 2 rock n roll…..” 

The scare followed what should have been a celebratory weekend: Mr. Feldman had been in Chicago as part of the “Stand by Me” 40th anniversary tour, appearing alongside costars Jerry O’Connell and Wil Wheaton at The Chicago Theatre on Sunday. The live tour combined a big-screen screening of the 1986 coming-of-age film with a moderated reunion conversation among the surviving cast members. The events carried added weight as director Rob Reiner, who died in December 2025, had been involved in early anniversary plans with the trio before his passing. 

Before departing for Chicago, Mr. Feldman made a personal stop in Gary, Indiana, sharing on social media that he had visited the childhood home of his late friend Michael Jackson to pay his respects.

Mr. Feldman used the same Instagram post announcing his recovery to tease an upcoming musical release. His new single, “What Am I Here 4,” is set for release Monday. He is also scheduled to play two birthday bash shows in California on July 25 and July 26.