Simone Biles lashes out at criticism of vacation weeks after near-death experience
Simone Biles has responded to the online criticism she received over the recent vacation she took weeks after she nearly died.
Earlier this month, the Olympic gold medal-winning gymnast, 29, opened up about a medical emergency that almost claimed her life. While she didn’t disclose the details of the accident, she called it “one of, if not the scariest experience of my life.”
Just over a week later, Biles shared photos on Instagram of her trip to Belize with her husband, NFL star Jonathan Owens. “Relaxing in paradise,” she captioned a series of poolside pictures.
Below the post, one person sarcastically commented: “Almost died but look at these traveling selfies…,” alongside three laughing emojis.
Biles replied to the message, writing: “Ugh these comments make me sad. a little over two weeks ago, I experienced a serious medical emergency that could have ended very differently, and this trip has been part of allowing myself to heal & appreciate being here.
“I hope you understand that life changing experiences can shift your perspective,” she said, adding that she hoped it allowed the commenter “to extend a little more grace to others moving forward.”
“Have a nice day!” she ended the message.
Biles had originally addressed her near-death experience in an Instagram Story, writing: “I’m not one to normally share things like this because I value privacy in today’s age. But almost dying wasn’t on my bingo card earlier this week.”
Sharing a picture of her wrist with multiple hospital bracelets, she added, “This was one of, if not the scariest experience of my life. Especially since Jonathan [Owens] was in Indy for practices.
“I’ve been in bed resting this week, I’ll explain sooner or later, but s/o to my close circle who reached out, checked in, visited or sent flowers. Love y’all.”
“I’ll be here,” she captioned another picture of her bed, alongside a screenshot of a monitor that read her current resting heart rate, 126 beats per minute.
Biles still has yet to discuss the cause of the medical scare, telling one fan that she is “not ready to talk about it just yet.”
Throughout her gymnastics career, Biles has been open about the numerous health conditions she’s faced. She previously discussed the enormous toll competing in the 2024 Paris Olympics — where she took home three gold and a silver medal — had on her body.
“I went back to the village, took the elevator, and my body literally collapsed,” she told L’Equipe, the Associated Press’s French sports outlet, in April 2025. “I was sick for 10 days.”
