Simone Biles Shares Harrowing Health Ordeal: ‘I Nearly Lost My Life’ in Recent Hospital Stay

Simone Biles, the renowned Olympic gymnast, has revealed a terrifying health scare that nearly claimed her life this week. While the 29-year-old athlete has remained tight-lipped about the specifics of her condition, she took to Instagram on Saturday to share the alarming news with her followers.

In an Instagram story, Biles posted a photo showing several hospital wristbands wrapped around her arm. Accompanying the image, she wrote, “I’m not usually one to share such personal experiences, as I cherish my privacy in today’s world.”

She went on to say, “I’ve been resting in bed this week. I’ll explain more at a later time, but I want to give a shout-out to my close circle who reached out, checked in, visited, or sent flowers.”

Though details about the cause of her hospitalization remain unclear, it seems Biles has returned home following the ordeal. On Friday, she was out and about, attending a St. Louis Cardinals game with her husband. Her husband, Owens, had the honor of throwing the first pitch for his hometown team, suggesting a return to normalcy after the frightening episode.

In a further post, she shared a photo of herself lying in bed with her dogs, alongside the caption ‘I’ll be here’ and a screenshot of an extremely elevated resting heartbeat.

Simone Biles, pictured in December, suffered a terrifying health scare earlier this week

Biles shared the news on her Instagram story, telling her followers she ‘almost died’ this week

It is not clear what caused Biles to be rushed to hospital, but it appears she is now back home after the serious health scare. On Friday afternoon, she shared pictures from a visit to watch the St. Louis Cardinals with husband Owens, who threw out the first pitch for his hometown team.

Owens shared her post on his Instagram story, joking that Biles is ‘from the crib now’. His comments indicate that for most of Friday at least, Biles was not unwell.

But the news of her scare led to an outpouring of support for the 11-time Olympic medalist, who has not competed since the 2024 Games in Paris, where she won three golds. 

Biles currently lives in Texas with her NFL husband Jonathan Owens, who recently signed a one-year, $1.4million deal with the Indianapolis Colts after two years in Chicago with the Bears. 

The loved-up pair have built their dream lakeside home from scratch, but Owens was not present for Biles’ health scare given his NFL commitments in the Midwest. 

Biles and Owens met in 2020 on the celebrity dating app Raya, in the middle of the coronavirus lockdown.

Owens previously opened up on their first few months of dating in an interview with Texas Monthly, noting: ‘It was one of the few times in her life where everything was just shut off and she couldn’t do anything.

‘We used it to get to know each other… really get to know each other. It created our bond and made it stronger. Now, I’m so thankful.’

The pair tied the knot in 2023 and have since been each other’s biggest supporters, regularly attending each other’s NFL games and gymnastics competitions. 

Biles, 29, on the red carpet in Madrid, Spain at the Laureus World Sports Awards in April

Biles pictured alongside her husband Jonathan Owens, who plays for the Indianapolis Colts

Biles, 29, is widely considered the greatest gymnast of all time and is America’s most decorated gymnast in Olympic history.

She has not ruled out competing again at the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028, due to it being a home Games, but gymansts do not typically compete that late into their career. 

Just last week, before her health scare, she said she is torn over the decision.

‘I’d say we’re still at about 50 per cent,’ she said to French publication El Pais. ‘Although I’ll also take this opportunity to say one thing: I feel we should know how to admire athletes while they are active and competing.

‘I’ve already been to three Olympic Games, and I feel fulfilled. It’s crazy to see how people always want more and more from you. In the end, the decision will always be mine.

‘I feel our bodies are a bit like an hourglass that’s slowly running out. Right now, I’m 29, and although longevity in the elite has advanced by leaps and bounds, it would be a huge sacrifice to try to be at Los Angeles [at 31]. We’ll have to see.’

She added that since the Paris Games, she has mainly stayed active by doing pilates with husband Owens, explaining: ‘Honestly it’s not fun at all. It’s very hard, pure pain and effort. But he loves it. And I do it because I love sharing it with him.’