Details into the death of Olympic gold medalist Tori Bowie revealed Monday that the sprinter’s death was the result of complications during childbirth.
Bowie, 32, was declared dead on May 2 after Orange County Sheriff’s deputies discovered her corpse on a bed inside her Winter Garden, Florida, residence, according to a report.
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Authorities had been sent on a welfare check, and an autopsy report declared Bowie was approximately eight months pregnant and in labor at the time of her death, the report noted.
A “well-developed fetus” was also discovered.
Bowie had dealt with eclampsia and respiratory distress, with the former being a condition that results in seizures in pregnant women, according to the report.
Symptoms include high blood pressure, blurry vision, headaches, and convulsions.
Concerns from friends and family about Bowie, who had not been heard from in days, prompted the welfare check.
Bowie took home three medals at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, including gold as part of the U.S. 4×100 women’s relay team, and was declared the fastest woman in 2017 when she took first in the 100-meter dash at the 2017 IAAF World Championships in London.
In the wake of her death, many are using Bowie to highlight the struggles that pregnant black women face.
“The death of Tori Bowie is so triggering for me & many Black women who have barely survived pregnancy in a racist health system,” one Twitter user commented.
The death of Tori Bowie is so triggering for me & many Black women who have barely survived pregnancy in a racist health system. It reminds me of how I almost died, with my baby’s umbilical cord hanging around my thighs, 2 days after I was sent home to go wait for a miscarriage.
— Birgit Omoruyi Umaigba ???? (@birgitomo) June 13, 2023
“It reminds me of how I almost died, with my baby’s umbilical cord hanging around my thighs, 2 days after I was sent home to go wait for a miscarriage.
“Women, & esp black women, still dying from easily preventable birthing complications. Shame on everyone,” another user tweeted.
Women, & esp black women, still dying from easily preventable birthing complications. Shame on everyone. This is absolutely heartbreaking & infuriating. https://t.co/LtA7HG7blw
— Regy??? (@starrrways) June 13, 2023
“This is absolutely heartbreaking & infuriating.”
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“We are deeply saddened to learn the cause of death of Olympic medalist and world champion sprinter, Tori Bowie,” BET said in a statement posted to social media.
We are deeply saddened to learn the cause of death of Olympic medalist and world champion sprinter, Tori Bowie.
Black women die at exceedingly higher rates due to pregnancy-related complications. We face a much higher risk of maternal death due to various reasons including… pic.twitter.com/ltsx5RDzGQ
— BET (@BET) June 12, 2023
“Black women die at exceedingly higher rates due to pregnancy-related complications. We face a much higher risk of maternal death due to various reasons including chronic stress and implicit bias from health care providers. There is so much work to be done to properly protect and advocate for Black women’s health. We send continued love and condolences to Tori Bowie’s family.”
