While in Waco, Texas, filming the upcoming series, a Silos Baking Competition judge was sent home for emergency eye surgery.
Zoe Francois, beloved cookbook author and chef, detailed what she called the “dramatic” moment she nearly lost her eyesight.
“I just had eye surgery and it was a little bit dramatic because I was in Waco shooting a show,” Francois said in a video posted to Instagram. “All of a sudden I saw something in my eye. Like, a dark patch came over my eye.”
The owners of the Airbnb the baker was staying at referred her to a local eye doctor. The doctor told Francois that if she didn’t have surgery within 24 hours she would love vision in her eye.
“[The doctor] arranged for me to have surgery in Minneapolis, but I had to fly home. I’m so grateful to him for insisting that I do it because I really didn’t want to,” Zoe said.
The author added that the team at Magnolia “moved mountains” to help her get home for the emergency surgery. Immediately upon landing in Minneapolis, Francois was taken to surgery.
“Everything is going to be okay. I do have to wear this dramatic patch for a long time,” Zoe said as she sported a black eye patch. “But, I’m okay with it. I’m just super grateful and lucky that so many people showed me so much kindness and love and care.”
Francois shared an update following the video saying that she had a detached retina.
“My symptoms were large floaters, flashes of light and a dark haze in my vision. If you have any of these symptoms seek out a retina specialist immediately like I did. He saved my vision.”
Zoe Francois joined Chip and Joanna Gaines’ Magnolia Network family in 2021.
Her show, Zoe Bakes, premiered in July 2021 and features the baker whipping up some of her favorite simple meals and baked goods in her Minneapolis kitchen. In early 2022 the second season of Zoe Bakes aired, and her website indicates that filming is underway on season 3.
Zoe Francois joined Joanna Gaines and Andrew Zimmern to judge the first episode of the Silos Baking Competition that aired in June 2022. She returned to Waco at the end of September to serve as judge for a holiday cookie competition and a six-episode baking competition series.
Learn more about Zoe Francois HERE.
We wish Zoe a full and speedy recovery. Visit her page on Instagram to send well wishes.
