Suni Lee took a tumble after her Tokyo glory. Well, not in the gymnasium but in her life! With the trolls calling her out as an undeserving’ champion, Lee’s problems were just getting started. Having faced the challenge of waiting for the Olympics and being asked to follow a strict protocol due to COVID, Suni Lee expected life to be better after her gold medal victory. Unfortunately, in 2023, her world fell apart with not one but two kidney diseases. 

Feeling unusual discomfort and strange swelling all over her body, Suni Lee knew something was off, so she went in for a check-up. But things didn’t go as expected—the 2020 all-around champion was handed a surprising diagnosis: allergies! Recalling the incident, Suni Lee recently spoke to Ok Magazine and said, “When I was first diagnosed, my doctors didn’t want to listen to me… They told me it was just allergies. So, having to advocate for myself and making sure I was getting the right treatment plan was really important because I was doing gymnastics as well, and then getting told I was never going to do gymnastics was really heartbreaking.”

Now, this could have been a disaster. Being misdiagnosed, Lee could have put her entire career, let alone her life, at some serious risk. After countless tests that didn’t reveal much, it was USA gymnastics team physician Marcia Faustin who finally asked Suni Lee if her doctors had done a routine urine test. Turns out, they hadn’t. Suni admitted she’d been struggling to pee for two weeks—a big red flag pointing to kidney issues, which, as she later found out, actually run in her family.

Following more lab work, she was finally referred to a specialist who recommended a kidney biopsy to check for any signs of damage or disease. Thankfully for the champion, she ultimately got the correct examination. Sadly, that too was not at all encouraging for Lee. She was informed that the issue she had been struggling with was two rare kidney-related conditions (though she’s kept their names private). Things went to such an extent that she could not hold the bars and had significant discomfort folding her legs due to the puffiness on her hands.

“I could not bend my legs the slightest. I couldn’t squeeze my fingers,” she said to SELF magazine. With her world crashing down, Lee relocated to Minnesota to receive her treatment. She announced her departure from Auburn University’s gymnastics team and opened up about her illness on social media, informing fans about why she was choosing her health over not competing. Still, she was determined, “I will not stop pursuing my dreams for a bid to Paris in 2024. In fact, this experience has sharpened my vision for the future.”

She started getting infusions and not long after, her doctor informed Lee that the medication worked. Taking almost five months off from her elite training, Lee was finally able to get the green light for training. Starting her gymnastics journey once again, Lee began to train at the Midwest Gymnastics. Luckily for her, things finally fell in her favor and she was just in time to take the flight to Paris.

Suni Lee’s miraculous journey to Paris glory

Suni Lee was tensed going into the Core Classics. After all, she had to do well otherwise she wouldn’t qualify for the US Championships. Thankfully, Lee came up with something special. Scoring an incredible 14.6 on the beams, Lee managed to edge out Simone Biles! This meant that after almost 15 months, Lee was up for the all-around challenge at the US Championship. 

Once again, Lee proved why she was the Olympic champion. Putting up a resilient and strong showing, Suni Lee qualified for the trials. At the Olympic trials, Lee finished second behind Biles to cement her ticket to Paris. However, her work was only half done. She had yet to prove her haters wrong. Being constantly attacked as an ‘undeserving’ champion, Paris was Lee’s moment to shine. 

And surely she did. After the Olympics ended, Suni Lee ended up with two bronze and a gold medal. Thus, with her Paris mission successful, Lee is now looking to make the most of her rising popularity. Getting the attention of stars like Hailey Bieber and Beyonce, Suni Lee is surely enjoying a bright life, having put her dark past behind.