Olympian Tori Bowie Tragically Passed Away at Just 32 Years Old
Updated June 13 2023, 12:07 p.m. ET
It’s always devastating when someone is taken from us too soon. We are mourning the untimely death of three-time Olympic medalist Frentorish "Tori" Bowie. She was found dead in her Orlando, Fla., home on May 2, 2023, after a well-being check.
A shining light and star sprinter, Tori was only 32 years old.
Her death is a shock to many. Below, we take a look at what is known so far.
Tori Bowie tragically died in childbirth.
On Tuesday, May 2, 2023, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call “for a well-being check of a woman in her thirties who had not been seen or heard from in several days.” When they showed up at Tori’s Orlando home on Bowman Drive, they arrived at a tragic scene. The office wrote that a woman, “tentatively identified as Frentorish ‘Tori’ Bowie (DOB: 8/27/1990), was found dead in the home. There were no signs of foul play.”
In June of 2023, further details were revealed about Tori's death. An autopsy shared with The New York Times stated that, tragically, Tori was eight months pregnant and in labor at the time of her death. The autopsy listed respiratory distress and eclampsia as possible complications.
A program at Tori's funeral stated that she had been preceded in death by a daughter, Ariana Bowie.
Tori was born and raised in Mississippi, where she rose up as a track star after playing basketball. After high school, she took over the long jump NCAA championships while attending Southern Mississippi and later competed in the 2016 Rio Olympics. There, she won the silver medal for the 100-meter dash and the bronze for the 200-meter dash. She also helped lead the USA team to a gold medal victory in the 4x100 relay.
After Tori’s impressive performance in Rio, her hometown of Sandhill, Miss., dubbed Nov. 25 “Tori Bowie Day.” She told The Hattiesburg American, "I've never even thought about anything like this. It's like back in Sandhill, they have a sign right when you turn inside [the campus at Pisgah High, her alma mater], they actually have a sign, it says 'Tori Bowie Lane.' To see things like that and like this, it's just like miracles, I guess."
At the time, she said her goal was to focus on her training, but she also hired a publicist and wanted to dive (or shall we say sprint) into more acting and modeling. While that was one of her goals, her IMDb only lists the Rio 2016 games, an appearance on Today, and her contribution to the documentary, Doped: The Dirty Side of Sports in 2015.
Fellow colleagues and Olympians shared their memories and condolences.
When the news of Tori’s passing broke on May 3, her management tweeted, “We’re devasted to share the very sad news that Tori Bowie has passed away. We’ve lost a client, dear friend, daughter, and sister. Tori was a champion … a beacon of light that shined so bright! We’re truly heartbroken and our prayers are with the family and friends.”
Three-time Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Price wrote on Twitter, “My heart breaks for the family of Tori Bowie. A great competitor and source of light. Your energy and smile will always be with me. Rest in peace.”
“Too young,” tweeted Olympic champion Lolo Jones. “Gutted to hear about Tori Bowie. Incredible talent. A beautiful runner. I pray for the comfort of her family, thank you for blessing us with her. The running community mourns an incredible loss.”
As many pay their respects to Tori, we offer our condolences to Tori’s friends, family, and fans.
