American track and field star Allyson Felix is remembering her friend and former teammate Tori Bowie in a heartfelt piece published in TIME Magazine. Felix also called for increased awareness and a solution to the high maternity mortality rate amongst Black women in the write-up.
It has been a week since Tori Bowie’s actual cause of death was revealed by her management. As 21Ninety reported, the gold medalist and former track and field athlete died from childbirth complications. According to the autopsy, she suffered from eclampsia, a pregnancy complication that adversely affects Black women more than any other demographic. According to Dr. Mia Armstrong, “Preeclampsia is when you have new onset high blood pressure and at least one associated symptom, such as protein in your urine, during pregnancy or after delivery. You may also have low levels of platelets, which are blood cells that help your blood clot, or indicators of kidney or liver trouble.”
A Wholesome Personality
In her piece, Felix remembers Bowie as having a wholesome personality. The two were teammates during the 2016 Rio Olympics. While Felix lauded Bowie’s incredible sportsmanship, especially as she switched from long jump to sprint, it was Bowie’s entire being that left the biggest impression.
“She was just such a bright light, and people were getting to see that. She didn’t take herself too seriously. You felt this sense of ease when you were around her,” Felix said. “I last saw her in early 2021, in San Diego, where she was training. She gave me the biggest hug; something about her spirit was just very, very sweet. I felt her sweetness come over me that day.”
A Worrying Pattern
While remembering her friend, Felix also took time to draw attention to the circumstances surrounding Bowie’s death and how the minimal knowledge around preeclampsia and eclampsia often cuts short the lives of Black women.
Felix recounts a time when other women in her family, including herself, were unknowingly dealing with preeclampsia.
“About five days before I gave birth to Camryn, I was having Thanksgiving dinner with my family. I mentioned that my feet were swollen. As we went around the table, the women shared their experiences during pregnancy. My cousin said she also had swollen feet. My mom didn’t. Not once did someone say, ‘oh, well, that’s one of the indicators of preeclampsia.’ None of us knew,” she shared.
She also went on to note how her doctor didn’t sit her down to give her an extensive idea of the possible dangers with her pregnancy, leaving her like many Black women, unaware of complications like preeclampsia. Felix urged the government and the medical community to continue to do more to hear the pain of Black women.
She closed out her piece by sharing her hope and fears about having another baby while living in America.
“I would love to have another child, she said. “But will I be here to raise that child? That’s a very real concern. And that’s a terrifying thing. This is America, in 2023, and Black women are dying while giving birth,” the track and field star wrote.
“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.”