Key takeaways:
- Simone Biles posted hospital-style wristbands on Instagram and said “almost dying” was not on her “bingo card” this week.
- Biles called the episode one of the scariest experiences of her life and said she has been resting in bed.
- She said the scare was more frightening because her husband, Indianapolis Colts safety Jonathan Owens, was away with the team.
Simone Biles said she endured a frightening health scare this week that made her feel she had come close to death, though she did not disclose what happened.
The 29-year-old gymnastics star shared the limited update Saturday on Instagram Stories, posting a photo that showed several hospital-style wristbands around her wrist and thanking people close to her who had checked on her.
“I’m not one to normally share things like this because I value privacy in today’s age,” Biles wrote. “but almost dying wasn’t on my bingo card earlier this week.”
Biles, a seven-time Olympic champion with 41 Olympic and world-competition medals, called the episode “one of, if not the scariest experience of my life.” She said she had spent the week resting in bed and indicated she may say more later.
“I’ll explain sooner or later,” she wrote.
The timing, Biles said, made the ordeal more difficult because her husband, NFL safety Jonathan Owens, was away with the Indianapolis Colts. NBC News reported that Owens was in Indianapolis for practice sessions, while The Guardian described him as being away at a training camp with the team.
Biles also posted images of bouquets and thanked her “close circle” for reaching out, visiting, checking in and sending flowers. In another post, she shared a photo of two dogs on a bed with the text “i’ll be here,” along with a screenshot of a heart-rate monitor.
Representatives for Biles did not immediately respond to NBC News’ requests for comment late Saturday.
Biles and Owens, who have a home in Spring, Texas, about 25 miles north of downtown Houston, according to Realtor.com, were seen publicly days earlier at a St. Louis Cardinals game on May 29. Owens threw out the first pitch, and Biles posted photos from the game on Instagram on Friday.
The Guardian reported that Biles has previously described the physical toll of elite gymnastics. In an interview with L’Equipe last year, she recalled an experience at the 2024 Olympics, saying: “I went back to the [Olympic] village, I took the elevator and my body literally collapsed. I was sick for 10 days.” She added, “The other day, we were sprinting in the garden with friends, I had aches and pains for three days.”
Biles has not said whether this week’s health scare was connected to any past health issue or athletic strain.
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