Source: KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV / Getty
Devastating details have emerged regarding the tragic death of Olympic track and field star Frentorish “Tori” Bowie. According to TMZ, the 32-year-old Olympic gold medalist was pregnant and in labor at the time of her death.
Bowie was found dead in bed at her home in Winter Garden, Florida, on May 2. A coroner’s report noted that the beloved athlete died from childbirth complications. The champion gold medalist was around eight months pregnant and “undergoing labor” at the time of her passing.
Initially, officials said that it was possible the award-winning athlete died due to complications stemming from eclampsia, which are seizures that occur during a woman’s pregnancy or shortly after giving birth. The condition can cause a pregnant woman’s blood pressure to spike suddenly. Ultimately, the Orange County Medical Examiner’s Office determined that the sprinter died from natural causes.
Bowie’s decorated career.
As MADAMENOIRE previously reported, family and friends contacted officials from the Orange County Sheriff’s Department to conduct a welfare check after they hadn’t heard from Bowie for several days. When deputies arrived, they entered the decorated sprinter’s home to find her deceased. At the time, Florida deputies noted that “there were no signs of foul play.”
In 2016, Bowie rose to fame after her phenomenal performance at the Summer Olympics in Brazil. The Mississippi native earned a gold medal after she blazed through the track during the women’s 4×100-meter relay race. The star also won a silver medal following the 100-meter dash competition and a bronze medal in the 200-meter dash.
The all-star continued her winning streak in 2017 when she competed in the IAAF World Championships in London. Bowie took home another gold medal after she dominated the 100-meter dash race. The track and field icon was declared the world’s fastest woman due to her record-breaking speed of 10.85 seconds.
On Twitter, fans have been sounding off about Bowie’s untimely death in Florida. Some users said they were shocked and saddened to hear the devastating news. A few people noted that Bowie’s passing was a reminder of the grave issues facing many Black women in America due to the maternal health crisis.
Black women have the highest rate of pregnancy-related deaths in the U.S., making them two to three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications while in labor, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to Bowie’s family during this difficult time.
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