- A post on Twitter from Olympic athlete Tori Bowie’s management confirmed the athlete was found dead in her home in Florida at the age of 32.
- Before her death, her sister posted a cryptic message on social media about “pretend happiness.”
- Bowie was a celebrated track and field athlete with 3 Olympic medals from the 2016 Rio Olympics and 3 World Championships medals from 2015 and 2017.
Born on August 27, 1990, in Mississippi, USA, Tori Bowie became a successful track and field athlete thanks to her skills and athleticism. She competed for the University of Southern Mississippi, where she became a two-time NCAA champion in 2011.
Her career did not end at the university level. She went on to become a professional athlete but was delayed by a freak accident that left her with a broken jaw in 2013.
Aaliyah Brown, Allyson Felix, Morolake Akinosun, and Tori Bowie at the IAAF World Athletics Championships on August 12, 2017 in London, England. | Source: Getty Images
At the time, she qualified for the Olympic Trials and was celebrating her win at a club in Mississippi. She was an innocent bystander when a fight broke out, and she got hit in the jaw.
She could not eat, speak, or compete for an entire summer, and it ended her season. She missed the Olympic trials and needed to wait years to make her Olympic debut.
Tori Bowie of the United States poses with her medal for the competes in the Women’s 100 metres during the “IAAF Athletics World Championships London 2017” at London Stadium in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London, United Kingdom on August 7, 2017. | Source: Getty Images
Her first shot at an international competition was at the 2015 World Championships. She ended up winning a bronze medal, but that wouldn’t be the last they’d see of the stellar athlete.
The following year, she then won the US a gold medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics. She also won a silver and bronze medal that same year.
During her performance, Bowie was admittedly not ready. “I was a nervous wreck,” she admitted. She had called her sister for some encouragement and then won the races with all her might.
With the Team USA relay team, Bowie advanced to the finals but not without a challenge. They advanced only after winning an appeal on their disqualification after dropping a baton during the qualifying race.
Team USA was given a rerun after Olympic officials agreed a Brazilian runner had interfered when the baton was about to be handed off. They had to run the track alone in a time trial, having to beat the slowest qualifier for the finals.
They ended up recording the fastest time that day and ultimately won the gold. They had Bowie as their anchor during the relay race.
Tori Bowie of the United States, gold, celebrates with Marie-Josee Ta Lou of the Ivory Coast, silver, after the Women’s 100 Metres Final during day three of the 16th IAAF World Athletics Championships at The London Stadium on August 6, 2017 in London, United Kingdom. | Source: Getty Images
Bowie went on a streak, and in 2017, she won gold in the IAAF World Championships. She also helped Team USA retain gold in the 100-meter relay.
Her stellar track record made her a superstar. She landed commercial and modeling gigs with top brands like Adidas and became the face of American track and field.
In her alma maters, Bowie was also given the recognition she deserved. At the University of Southern Mississippi, signs dedicated to the athlete were unveiled at the Marshall Bell Track and Field Complex.
At her high school, Pisgah High, they also have a lane inside called “Tori Bowie Lane” to celebrate her. Bowie once said that the recognition she was getting for being an athlete was “nothing I’ve ever dreamed of.”
To her, seeing signs named after her and all the opportunities landing on her lap were like miracles. It was something straight out of a dream and something she could have never imagined.
Before the athlete’s death, her sister Tamarra posted a message on Facebook about people with “the saddest souls.”
Tori Bowie’s Tragic Death at 32
Tori Bowie’s management broke the news that the celebrated athlete had died at age 32. They referred to her as a “client, dear friend, daughter, and sister.”
Bowie was found dead in her home in Florida after a wellness check was conducted by police to check on her. People had not seen or heard from the athlete in several days, so the Sheriff’s department was asked to conduct the check.
According to the Sheriff’s Department report, there were no signs of foul play, but the cause of death would ultimately have to come from the medical examiner’s office. Before the athlete’s death, her sister Tamarra posted a message on Facebook about people with “the saddest souls.” She wrote:
“People who pretend to be happy have some of the saddest souls and people who do not try to convince the world that they are happy have the most genuine souls, because they are content with just being them for them and nobody else.”
Following Bowie’s death, Tamarra discreetly asked people to respect her privacy. She asked her Facebook friends not to tag her on any posts, and that she would not be making or answering any calls in the meantime.
Tamarra was close to the late track star, and they always used to run with one another. However, she’d be the first to admit that Tori had something special in her. “It’s like a special neutron burner,” she said of her sister’s ability to fly past anybody else.
Back in 2019, Bowie already gave a glimpse of her feelings through an Instagram post regarding her faith. Speaking about her pain, she said that sometimes, it causes her to smile big – “because through it all, He can still give us joy,” she wrote.
Bowie had not been active on Instagram since 2019. Her last post was about finishing fourth in the World Championships, and how she was looking forward to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Tori Bowie reacts after winning the final of the women’s 100m athletics event at the 2017 IAAF World Championships at the London Stadium in London on August 6, 2017. | Source: Getty Imagesa
Remembering Tori Bowie’s Life
When Bowie, who was named “Frentorish” by her father, was left at a foster home by her biological mom at the age of 2. Her paternal grandmother took her in along with her younger sister Tamarra.
Their determined grandmother fought for the girls and won custody. While they weren’t wealthy, the Bowie sisters got their character from their grandmother, who had five children of her own to raise.
Both Bowie sisters grew up in Sandhill, Mississippi, a very small town. They grew up with an abundance of extended family members, playing basketball, picking blackberries, and playing with BB guns.
Bowie also recalled racing everywhere as a child, running through all the trees in their small town along with her relatives. Despite all the hurdles, the Bowie sisters had a good childhood because of their large brood.
They lived in a group of four houses in the countryside. They had such a unique family dynamic where at the age of 12, Bowie was able to drive a car on the highway. She also had three cars before she had a driver’s license.
Aside from the sisters, their grandmother took in other grandchildren. It was thanks to her grandmother’s determination that Bowie learned the importance of believing in herself.
While Bowie’s grandmother raised her, she once revealed that her dad, Dennis Smith, was in and out of her life. However, in the latter years of her life, she and her dad formed an actual relationship as compared to when she was younger.
When the sisters were in high school, they were forced into track and field by their basketball coach. He made it mandatory for them as a form of conditioning, and the sisters initially thought of boycotting.
It was at that same time that their grandmother encouraged the Bowie sisters to do well in school and not think about boys. “They took my advice,” she proudly said during an interview.
Their grandmother didn’t want them to join because they were required to wear short shorts for the sport. However, they realized they were good at the sport after they started winning everything.
“It was kind of overwhelming,” Bowie once admitted. “Because who wins state championships their first year competing and has absolutely no idea what they’re doing?”
Bowie credited her determination to her grandmother. “My entire life, my grandmother told me I could do whatever I set my mind to,” she once shared.
She also once shared that her grandmother taught her that regardless of what she did in life, she needed to do her best. It was thanks to her grandmother’s advice that she always wanted to be the best at what she did.
Before and after each race, she called her grandmother to tell her how they went. Regardless of whether she was in the US or somewhere else in the world, that was the first thing she did – and her grandmother always cried out of joy after hearing her accomplishments.
Tori Bowie of USA poses with her bronze medal on the podium during the medal ceremony of the women’s 100m final during the Beijing 2015 IAAF World Championships at the National Stadium, also known as Bird’s Nest, in Beijing, China, 25 August 2015. | Source: Getty Images
It wasn’t just her grandmother who celebrated her accomplishments. At Pisgah High School, their principal has the staff laminate and post Bowie’s articles and results in the halls.
When it came to discipline, Bowie did what it took to maintain a good lifestyle. She regularly ate healthily and always tried to regain her fluids after each race.
Tori Bowie of United States is seen on the podium with her gold medal from the Women’s 4100m Relay final during day ten of the 16th IAAF World Athletics Championships London 2017 at The London Stadium on August 13, 2017 in London, United Kingdom. | Source: Getty Images
Her go-to meal used to be a juicy steak, which she eats the day before or the day of her meets. She says the red meat gives her some extra energy.
Following the news of her sudden death, people stormed social media with tributes for the athlete. USA Track and Field shared a photo of Bowie raising the American flag and wrote that they were “deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Tori Bowie.”
Shelly-Ann Fraser Pryce also penned a touching tribute to her competitor, saying, “Your energy and smile will always be with me.” Bowie once admitted in a previous interview that she considered Fraser Pryce as the “greatest sprinter ever” in their day and age.
Another fellow athlete, Lolo Jones, paid tribute to Bowie, whom she had trained with on several occasions. She remembered Bowie as an “incredible talent,” and a “beautiful runner.”
Jones then went on to send prayers to her family, thanking them for blessing the running community with Bowie. “The running community mourns an incredible loss,” she ended her statement.
Last but not least, World Athletics shared a heartwarming tribute to Bowie, with an illustration of her running through the clouds, and with words springing from her long hair. The beautiful illustration was made even more special with their caption, which remembered Bowie as the 2017 world 100m champion.
Other than her colleagues, fans of the athlete also shared their comments on Twitter. Some questioned why it took days before someone checked up on Bowie, while others said that they had been wondering what happened to Bowie after her streak of wins.
A fan also wrote about mental health, saying people only see the smiles on one’s face, and not what they truly feel deep inside. Another wrote that he was in disbelief, especially after hearing that Bowie was meant to reunite with her sister back home before news of her death broke out.
The fans sent their sympathies to Bowie’s family, who are still reeling from the loss. They had been away from Bowie in recent months, as Bowie lived in Orange County, Florida, miles away from their Mississippi home.
