Tragic American Olympian’s Death During Pregnancy Shatters Sporting World As Serena Williams’ Husband Alexis Ohanian, Coco Gauff, And Sloane Stephens React In Dismay

From the life-threatening complications experienced by Serena Williams in 2017 to the tragic demise of Olympian Tori Bowie, it is evident that postnatal complications have traumatized the African-American community. The narrative surrounding medical negligence experienced by black mothers reached a feverish pitch after the death of Bowie. Bowie was found dead in her home in Winter Garden on May 2. She was just 32. Powerful reactions from the sporting world poured in after it was learned that her death was preventable.

According to her autopsy report, Bowie had a well-developed fetus but might have succumbed to respiratory distress and eclampsia. This tragedy has seemingly united athletes toward demanding a just medical system for all Americans. Among the first to respond, Serena Williams’s husband Alexis Ohanian and track-and-field star Allyson Felix revisited the hard truths surrounding black mothers.

Every athlete is united for the same cause

As the news shocked everyone in the sporting realm, Serena Williams’ husband claimed on Twitter that the US is facing a black maternal health crisis. Bowie’s death reminded him of his wife’s pregnancy complications in 2017. Among the plethora of messages, the most notable one belonged to Allyson Felix, a former teammate of the late Bowie. She made a powerful statement while reflecting on her teammate’s death and the medical negligence experienced by black mothers through an Instagram post. It instantly garnered the attention of notable WTA stars.

The seven-time Olympic gold medal winner shared a picture of the team’s win at the Olympics and lamented, “These are my teammates. We are Olympic champions. Three of us tried to give birth. Two of us experienced near-death complications. One of us died. We have to, and we will do more. Tori’s death cannot and will not be in vain.”

WTA stars Sloane Stephens, Coco Gauff, and soon-to-be-mother Naomi Osaka supported and appreciated the stand Felix has taken. Sloane Stephens shared the Olympian’s post on her story with a heart emoji, and the other two liked her post.

Before making this powerful statement, the Olympics star spoke to ‘Time’ about her grief and hoped for better health facilities for black mothers. She said, “I’m hopeful that things can get better. I’m hopeful that Tori, who stood on the podium at Rio, gold around her neck and sweetness in her soul, won’t die in vain.” Felix faced a similar condition as Bowie when she was pregnant, but fate was fortunate for her.

It was only after a welfare check conducted by Sheriff deputies that the sad update was confirmed. A woman had reported that Tori “had not been seen or heard from in several days.” The autopsy of Tori Bowie revealed possibilities of respiratory distress and Eclampsia—seizures brought on by preeclampsia. It is a condition in which high blood pressure is observed during pregnancy, which can turn fatal for the mother.

READ MORE: Alexis Ohanian Fires Crude Reminder of a Crisis That Nearly Killed His Wife Serena Williams Hours After American Olympian’s Tragic Death

The world of sports is united in this fight for a better healthcare system for black woman. But for how long should they keep fighting?

The struggles of on-court champions like Serena Williams for basic amenities off-court

In 2017, Serena Williams gave birth to Olympia but not without complications. Forcing her to be bedridden for nearly six weeks, the couple has been vocal about maternal complications ever since. ‘Momma Smash’ even teamed up with UNICEF and was a ‘Good Will Ambassador.’ The power couple dedicates a part of their earnings to improving healthcare facilities for women as it is getting laborious for black mothers to safely give birth.

Research by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) concluded that the maternal mortality rate among black women is more than that of any other race. This report was generated in 2021, and yet nothing has improved.

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Tori Bowie, Serena Williams, and Allyson Felix are all women with privilege. They had the opportunity to get their hands on the best medical treatment they could access. Still, the system couldn’t relieve them of their problems. Will Bowie’s unfortunate demise change the realities of black mothers in the US?