Former adult film star Emily Willis is making limited progress more than two years after suffering catastrophic brain damage during treatment for ketamine addiction, with her family saying the porn star remains unable to speak and needs extensive daily care.

Willis, whose legal name is Litzy Lara Banuelos, is now 27 and is receiving therapy in Mexico, according to her mother and legal guardian, Yesenia Cooper. Cooper said that her daughter can communicate through her eyes and by shaking her head and appears to understand much of what happens around her.

The former adult film star is said to be learning to walk again, but still requires assistance with eating and has undergone more than 10 operations since the medical emergency that caused her brain injury.

Emily Willis' Brain Injury and Recovery

Willis' recovery follows a cardiac arrest at Summit Malibu, a California rehabilitation facility where she had entered treatment for ketamine addiction in January 2024. Her family said she suffered prolonged oxygen deprivation after being found unconscious on 4 February 2024, resulting in a severe anoxic brain injury.

Paramedics reportedly performed CPR on the former adult film star for 30 to 40 minutes before restoring her heartbeat. The resulting anoxic brain injury caused severe and lasting neurological damage, although her family says she has gradually regained some ability to respond and interact.

More recent updates from Willis' family describe her as severely physically impaired but showing signs of awareness. Cooper said her daughter sometimes expresses frustration and has limited movement.

Earlier reports noted that she could follow people with her eyes and later communicate by shaking her head. According to her mother, Willis has regained the ability to sleep independently and watch films and television programmes she previously enjoyed.

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Ketamine Addiction and Declining Health

Willis checked into Summit Malibu on 27 January 2024 after reportedly using five to six grams of ketamine each day for about a year. Court-related reporting said that she was already suffering from bladder inflammation, night terrors and other health problems when she arrived.

Records that were cited in subsequent reporting described her as frail, disoriented and having difficulty walking during her first days at the facility. Cooper later sued Summit Malibu and its parent company, Malibu Lighthouse Treatment Centres, alleging negligence and claiming staff failed to respond adequately as Willis' health deteriorated.

The facility denied wrongdoing and argued that Willis had refused certain recommendations to seek outside medical treatment. The defendants ultimately agreed to a $3 million (£2.230 million) settlement without admitting liability.

PTSD, Anxiety and Depression Before Rehab

Court-based reporting indicates that Willis had post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) before the medical crisis. Reports describing the lawsuit state that she had previously been diagnosed with PTSD, anxiety and major depressive disorder and received medication for mental-health conditions.

Willis was also said to be experiencing night terrors when she entered treatment, alongside physical complications associated with prolonged ketamine use.

The former porn star had built a prominent career in adult entertainment before her 2024 medical emergency and later appeared in the 2023 science-fiction film 'Divinity.' Her current condition has prevented her from returning to work, and Cooper remains responsible for her legal and medical affairs.

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