6 Years After Cheating Death, Horrifying Past Haunts 41-Year-Old Serena Williams as She Risks Her Life Once Again to Fulfill Daughter Olympia’s Wish

Moments before hitting the 2023 Met Gala red carpet, tennis legend Serena Williams and Alexis Ohanian stunned the world. Ohanian took to social media and announced that Williams was pregnant with the couple’s second child. It didn’t take long for the congratulatory messages to pour in. However, amid all the congratulations, there was an air of concern. After all, after Williams had given birth to daughter Olympia, she went through a life-threatening phase, which lasted almost a week.

While Serena has recovered physically from that horrifying experience, emotionally, it still haunts her. However, the fighter that Serena always has been and still is, seems determined to overcome her trauma and give her daughter the blessing of a sibling.

What happened to Serena Williams following Olympia’s birth?

Olympia’s childbirth was initially going smooth sailing for Serena Williams. Surgeons had to perform an emergency C-section as Olympia’s heart rate underwent a drastic drop during contractions. Joy overwhelmed Serena after she saw her daughter in her arms. However, 24 hours later, she started feeling increasingly uncomfortable.

In a commentary piece written by her for CNN in 2018, Serena elaborated on her worsening condition at the time. “It began with pulmonary embolism, which is a condition in which one or more arteries in the lungs becomes blocked by a blood clot”. The condition triggered a severe cough in Williams, and owing to her exertion during coughing, her “C-section wound popped open”.

Serena went on to write, “I returned to surgery, where the doctors found a large hematoma, a swelling of clotted blood, in my abdomen”. Ultimately, she had to undergo a procedure that prevented the clots from making their way into her lungs. It was risky, and had it not been successful, the world may not have seen any more of Williams. Ultimately though, Serena survived. However, for complete recovery, she “had to spend the first six weeks of motherhood in bed.”

Read More: ‘We’re Back at It’ – 5 Years After the Birth of Daughter Olympia, Serena Williams, and Alexis Ohanian Set To Welcome Another Champion Into Their Lives

Olympia the driving force behind Serena Williams’ pregnancy

Every Serena Williams well-wisher in the world is hoping for her second childbirth to go smoothly. However, the bottom line is that childbirth is unpredictable, and anything can happen if certain unfortunate circumstances present themselves. Despite being aware of the risks involved, Serena and her husband decided to be parents to another child.

Daughter Olympia has played a massive role in helping her parents decide. She has stated her desire for a baby sister or brother in the past. Serena has hinted at having another child as well. For instance, Serena wrote in her retirement note how she would be evolving from a professional tennis player to a mother.

Watch This Story: Alexis Ohanian Drops Emotional Message for Daughter Olympia After Reflecting Upon a Challenge With Serena Williams