CLERMONT, FLORIDA: Olympic athlete Tori Bowie, who was eight months pregnant when she died in her home in Florida, weighed just 96 pounds. Before her death on May 2, her family and other close members attempted to convince Bowie who looked heavily pregnant to "eat for two," according to her friend.
An autopsy report revealed that the 32-year-old who died due to complications from childbirth underwent labor when she died. Bowie, who was previously known as the fastest woman in the world, won gold at the 2016 Olympic Games. However, her friends and neighbors in Winter Garden shared that she had a longstanding history of erratic and unhealthy behavior, reported Daily Mail.
Bowie's agent said she has never been a 'really big eater'
Following the tragic death of the former world champion, her longtime friend and agent Kimberly Holland opened up about Bowie's deteriorating health condition. She told NBC that the gold medalist was struggling with her weight but she ignored Holland's advice to eat well. "I started to come off, I think, a little preachy, because she started to shut me down and she was like, ‘Miss Kim, the baby is fine.’ So that was my cue to leave it alone," said Holland who revealed that her loved ones never suspected Bowie's life was at risk.
While explaining how Bowie has never been a "really big eater," Holland who managed the athletes' career said, "As an adult, you make your own decisions. We probably would have handled everything differently to make sure everything was done properly."
Bowie already bought baby clothes
The sprinter whose bipolar disorder was listed in the autopsy report maintained a positive outlook about her pregnancy. Recalling their last conversation and revealing that Bowie had already purchased clothes for her baby, Holland said, "(She was) just so happy," was "looking forward to this new chapter in her life."
Holland, who said she and Bowie had a relationship that was "more than an athlete-manager relationship," added "I thought that conversation, overall, was a conversation of new beginnings. She was like, you know, my daughter."
Bowie rejected Holland's offer to stay in her Atlanta home so that the agent can take care of her and also help her during the final phase of her pregnancy. As per the autopsy findings, there were no signs of foul play or drugs. The report listed respiratory distress and eclampsia as the possible complications that led to her death. Eclampsia is a rare pregnancy condition that can cause the patient to suffer from seizures and comas.
