Tracey Yukich Says She Died During Medical Emergency on Biggest Loser

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Tracey Yukich’s time on The Biggest Loser was definitely one that she’d never forget.

In simpler terms, the reality television personality asserted that she experienced a state similar to death due to exerting too much energy while running a mile on the beach in the initial contest of the eighth season of the NBC show.

In my mind, I’m constantly thinking, ‘With four energetic little ones at home, I’ve got this running thing down!’ Yet, when it comes to the reality of running a single mile, it felt like the longest journey imaginable.” (Obsessed fan’s perspective)

As a result, her involvement in the challenge – the outcome of which decided her appearance on the show – led to a truly alarming medical crisis.

Her participation in the challenge, which ultimately determined whether she’d be on the show, culminated in an unexpected and frightening medical predicament.

She clarified that her memory isn’t clear on many details, but she does recall hearing a helicopter, feeling as if she were drifting, and then finding herself with her grandfather. Afterwards, there was darkness, followed by light, which led her to believe that she had died on that day.

Later on, it was Danny Cahill – the eventual winner of the season – who mentioned that he noticed his competing colleague seemed to have lacked preparation, likely due to spending extended periods in a hotel prior to the competition.

Tracey explained, ‘My body was failing in a very real sense, and it turned out I had rhabdomyolysis without me knowing. Rhabdomyolysis is like my body issuing a warning: ‘Prepare for shutdown.’

Initially, it affected my liver, later moved to my kidneys, and subsequently reached my heart,” she continued. “That’s when I came close to meeting my end.

TopMob News has reached out to NBC for comment but has not heard back.

In his own account, the show’s doctor, Robert Huizenga, became emotional as he reminisced about the day he encountered Tracey at the hospital following the event.

He compared the contestants on the show to his own children, suggesting that they were similar in some way. However, he felt that the show could have communicated more effectively with him about the challenges, as he believed he should have been involved in each one.

Initially, discussions took place regarding Tracey’s return home following her health issue; however, Robert recalled her exhibiting strong anger. This was because Tracey joined the show with aspirations of improving herself as a mother and as a friend.

Tracey confessed that she felt responsible for her situation due to being overweight. However, she realized that in order to achieve the best version of herself, she needed to instigate changes in her lifestyle. She expressed a desire not to be disregarded, yelled at, or harmed, and also wished not to have restrictions placed on what she could do. Ultimately, she understood that prioritizing herself was necessary for this transformation.

She remarked that her weight and all aspects related to it were persistently weighing her down emotionally. In order to transform her life, she felt this was her sole opportunity for a change.

For more stars that have spoken out about their own health scares, keep reading…

As a former contestant on Total Bellas, I shared some personal insights recently. During a wrestling match against fellow WWE star Piper Niven in July 2025, an unexpected elbow slam caused a slight shift in one of my breast implants.

She reassured her sister Bella Garcia at the moment, saying, “It’s all right.” She continued, “We’ll take care of it eventually. I mentioned it to the doctor, and I said, ‘Now that I’m newly divorced, as soon as my dancing days are over, I’ll be back to you, and together we’ll ensure these girls look their best. After all, these girls are going to experience attention in the future, and we don’t want that to show.’

In 2014, the actress who played a key role in “12 Years a Slave” was diagnosed with uterine fibroids – these are benign growths that can occur within or near the womb. Interestingly, this was the same year she received an Oscar for her exceptional performance in the movie.

It wasn’t until 2025 that she shared her diagnosis, revealing on Instagram that she had been quietly struggling with the condition for over a decade.

She remarked, “As we go through puberty, we’re often led to believe that menstruation brings pain, and this discomfort is just something every woman must endure. Yet, many of us are grappling silently with an issue that significantly impacts our lives.

 

In July 2025, as a dedicated follower, I was saddened to learn that our beloved Daisy Jones from The Six had to be hospitalized. It turns out she’d developed a hernia-an unfortunate condition where there’s a gap in the muscular wall, often found in the abdomen or groin area-due to wearing those tight pants of hers.

She wrote on X, “You don’t post on Twitter anymore,” but added, “I wore pants so tight six months ago that I think I gave myself a hernia, and I’ve been too afraid to tell you about it.

As a trusted lifestyle advisor, I recently shared that one of the iconic Beverly Hills, 90210 alums found himself on a health journey back in April 2025. It seems his appendix gave him quite a scare and required surgery to prevent it from fully rupturing.

A week ago, I began experiencing a nagging abdominal discomfort,” I shared in a heartfelt Instagram post. “It escalated to such an extent that I found myself at the ER. It turned out to be a near-burst appendix – not quite exploded yet, but close enough.

He added, “I’m on the road to recovery. It’s not an easy process. This is my first major surgery.”

Adam Devine revealed that the injuries he suffered at age 11, when a cement truck struck him, continue to impact his life until now.

Devine stated on the ‘In Depth With Graham Bensinger’ podcast in 2025 that it has been a difficult experience for him. He explained that he experiences spasms everywhere and had been informed by doctors that his death was imminent – within the past year, to be precise.

He observed that pain is intermittent, and he commented, “My body often experiences issues that are slightly out of balance or not functioning perfectly.

A former star from Bachelor Nation revealed that intense back pain, worsened during a camping trip with a buddy, compelled him to seek medical attention, arriving at the hospital by dragging himself on hands and knees.

In a recent episode of my Trading Secrets podcast in March 2025, I shared an unusual experience. At this very moment, from knees to toes, there’s a strange tingling sensation that feels surreal.

To give you some context, let me clarify that about three weeks, or perhaps a month ago, I was managing an impressive squat weight of 295 pounds. However, as I stand here today, I’m unable to perform even a single-leg squat without losing balance. It’s as if I’ve experienced some form of physical impairment, almost like a stroke.

But with the help of a back specialist and some steroids, he added, “We’re on the mend.”

Back in March 2025, Gina Kirschenheiter, a cast member on “Real Housewives of Orange County,” revealed that her former spouse, Matt Kirschenheiter, experienced a heart attack. However, fortunately for everyone involved, he made it through the challenging situation.

Back in March 2025, during a thrilling New York Knicks game at the iconic Madison Square Garden, I myself experienced an unexpected health incident that required immediate attention. Consequently, with a crowd of supportive spectators looking on, I was carefully wheeled out of the venue for further medical assessment.

On the next day, the comedian posted an update on social media, explaining that it was actually food poisoning and he was recovering well.

In February 2025, an actress from Even Stevens disclosed that during a trip for shooting clay pigeons to celebrate her husband Brendan Rooney’s birthday, she was unfortunately hit by a bullet and got shot in the face.

While another party was recklessly shooting around us, they accidentally hit me in the face. Immediately after, @thebrendanrooney took charge, evaluated my injuries, and swiftly transported me to the hospital. I sustained wounds in five areas, with one being just inches away from my right eye.

In simpler terms, the former star of “Kim Possible” stated that a piece became stuck near their eye, making it currently unsafe for surgery. However, they are able to see normally and doctors plan to keep an eye on the situation for now.

The actress expressed her heartfelt gratitude for being alive. She emphasized her deep love for her daughters, husband, family, and friends, stating that if she had a moment to reflect on her life, she would urge everyone to seize opportunities to embrace those dear to them. Life, she warned, can unexpectedly take a turn in the blink of an eye.

In a January 2025 episode of Call Her Daddy, Amy Schumer recounted her experience with receiving comments from doctors on social media after noticing changes in her appearance following multiple press events. The doctors suspected she may have Cushing syndrome, potentially caused by spiking cortisol levels or steroid injections during medical procedures such as a breast reduction and C-section. Upon realizing she had been receiving steroid injections for her scars, Amy discovered that this had led to Cushing syndrome, a condition she would not have identified without the intense scrutiny on social media. Today, Amy is grateful to be healthy after being diagnosed with a self-correcting type of Cushing syndrome. As she shared in a February 2024 News Not Noise newsletter, learning that her condition would resolve itself and ensuring her overall health was the best news she could have received.

In a game held in December 2024, an AHL player got injured when another player’s skate accidentally cut him. He needed 25 stitches to heal the wound. After his son had fully recovered, New Jersey Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald spoke with ESPN and expressed gratitude, stating, “We feel incredibly fortunate. I wouldn’t wish that experience on any parent.

Hailey Bieber, the famous skincare entrepreneur, experienced a truly alarming incident in March 2022 while having breakfast with her husband, Justin Bieber. During this meal, Hailey began exhibiting symptoms similar to a stroke, causing concern for Justin who asked if she was alright. However, Hailey didn’t respond initially because she wasn’t certain and then struggled to speak when she tried. Her right facial side became weak, and she found it difficult to form sentences.

Hailey revealed these details a month later in a YouTube video, explaining that her facial drooping subsided, but she still went to the hospital for a check-up. There, they discovered she had endured a small brain clot known as a Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA). The doctors also identified a hole in Hailey’s heart called a patent foramen ovale (PFO), which allowed the blood clot to travel into her heart, escape through the hole, and reach her brain.

Hailey underwent a successful procedure to close the PFO hole at the University of California, Los Angeles, and is now feeling well.

In the same year that Hailey went through a health crisis, Justin Bieber also faced one. More specifically, in June 2022, Justin was diagnosed with Ramsay Hunt syndrome. This condition resulted in temporary facial paralysis for him and led to the cancellation of the rest of his Justice World Tour. Explaining the situation on Instagram at the time, Justin said, “This eye is not blinking, I can’t smile on this side of my face… So there’s full paralysis on this side of my face.” He added that eating had become increasingly difficult for him, but eventually, the paralysis subsided. Hailey shared during a June 2022 episode of Good Morning America that Justin was doing well and recovering nicely. She expressed relief that despite it being a frightening and unforeseen event, he would fully recover.

Initially maintaining secrecy about his April 2023 hospitalization, Jamie Foxx eventually shared his ordeal in public. In Atlanta, as he recounted in his 2024 Netflix special “What Had Happened Was…”, he experienced a severe headache and asked for an aspirin. Unfortunately, before he could take it, he passed out and lost consciousness for 20 days.

Upon visiting a doctor initially who administered a cortisone shot and sent him home, his sister Deidra Dixon then drove him to the hospital where they discovered the cause: He had a brain hemorrhage that resulted in a stroke.

After undergoing surgery on the 20th day, Foxx woke up May 4 in a wheelchair, unable to walk. He subsequently went to Chicago for rehabilitation and therapy.

“I want to express my gratitude for every prayer,” he said, “because I truly needed each one of them.

The reality TV personality disclosed that she temporarily passed out or fainted during a mile-long run, which was the initial task of the NBC competition show.

The Reality of The Biggest Loser, that she couldn’t recall many details. However, she did remember hearing a helicopter, feeling like she was floating, her grandfather being present, and then experiencing darkness followed by light, which led her to believe she had died on that day.

In my professional opinion, I found myself in a critical state where my bodily functions were failing, and it wasn’t until later that I learned I was experiencing Rhabdomyolysis. Essentially, this condition signals your body’s desperate attempt to protect itself by initiating a shutdown process.

In 2019, Emilia Clarke, best known for her role in Game of Thrones, penned an essay titled “A Battle for My Life” in The New Yorker. During filming, she experienced severe headaches at the gym which escalated into a life-threatening brain hemorrhage, leading to two surgeries and recovery from aphasia.

In her own words, Emilia described, “At the gym, I was struck with an intense headache. I made it to the toilet, vomited profusely, and my pain intensified. I knew at some level that my brain was injured.” She was rushed to the hospital for a scan, where she received the grim diagnosis of a subarachnoid hemorrhage, caused by an arterial rupture or aneurysm.

After her initial surgery, Emilia faced difficulties with speaking and “muttered nonsense” during recovery. A week later, she regained speech but had to undergo another surgery due to a growth that had doubled in size at a previous scan. This operation required the traditional method of accessing her brain through her skull.

Thankfully, Emilia is now fully recovered and declared herself “at a hundred percent.

Cori Broadus, the daughter of rapper Snoop Dogg, expressed her gratitude towards her family after experiencing a severe stroke in January 2024. When she informed them about the stroke and shared a related image with TopMob News‘s correspondent Will Marfuggi, everyone swiftly came to her aid.

Due to additional health complications, Cori’s hospital stay was longer than anticipated. “I could have left the hospital after my stroke,” she explained in December 2024, “but my lupus wasn’t doing well. My kidneys were failing, and there was a lot going on.”

Now, Cori is recovering well. “I’m doing great,” she assured. “There were just some motor skills I needed to rebuild, but otherwise, I was fine.

During her twenties, the well-being of Shailene Woodley was far from ideal. Her health struggles intensified to the extent where she began losing her hearing, could barely walk for extended periods without needing long hours of rest, and found nearly everything she ate causing discomfort in her stomach.

This complex set of health issues left her with various diagnoses and contradictory advice from different doctors. Determined to find answers, Shailene-who has a holistic background and studies herbalism-decided to consult both conventional medical professionals (MDs) and independent healers.

This pursuit took a decade, during which time she grappled with numerous other difficulties that stemmed from her physical discomfort. These included developing an anxiety around food due to its negative effects on her stomach, leading to body dysmorphia, confusion about her identity, and feelings of insecurity within herself.

After addressing both her physical and mental health concerns, Shailene is now thriving. She shared that her journey eventually led to a resolution of her health issues, and she is delighted to report that she’s currently in good health.

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2025-08-19 16:18