Suni Lee discusses Olympic return after kidney disease diagnosis, ESPYs Comeback Athlete nomination
By Ryan Morik
Published July 17, 2025
Suni Lee was oh so close to not competing in the Paris Olympics last year.
In April 2023, Lee announced that she was going to end her Auburn career due to a kidney issue, and Auburn doctors would not clear her.
Lee gained 45 pounds, her eyes were "swollen shut," and she "couldn't do a flip."
"My fingers were so swollen, they wouldn't fit into my grips, and I couldn't hold on to the bar," she said back in November 2023.
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In a recent interview with Fox News Digital, Lee actually "quit" gymnastics "a couple times."
"I told my coach I don't want to do this anymore… There were many times where I didn't want to do this anymore, or I just doubted myself more in the process. I think even as close as like Olympic Trials I was doubting myself," Lee said.
However, after going through an incredible grind, Lee was in Paris and won three medals - the entire team won gold, and Lee herself went bronze in the all-around and uneven bars.
More recently, she was nominated for, and won, the Best Comeback Athlete at the 2025 ESPYs on Wednesday night.
"It is incredible, and it is such a surreal feeling just because I know how hard the journey was, so to be here is pretty incredible on its own, and I am just really excited for tonight and to be with the other nominees," Lee said.
In attending the award show, she teamed up with Raising Cane's, who helped her get ready for the occasion.
OLYMPIC MEDALIST DIES IN TRAGIC LIGHTNING STRIKE DURING TRIP
"Oh my gosh, they have been so amazing, and they have brought me to so many amazing places as well, and having that relationship is just so fun. I feel like every time we are with them, we are all having such a great time, and they are genuinely such great people, so it is a great relationship."
Lee admitted that she didn't start to feel 100% normal until after the Olympics.
"We were still trying to figure everything out, get into the routine, learn how my body was able to adjust to the medicine the time changes and the traveling it was just a lot going on all at once. Plus, being stressed and overwhelmed definitely didn't help. But yeah, I would say things definitely calmed down afterwards, and now I am able to just kind of live my life a little bit more normal I just have to go to my doctor every couple of months, but I take my medicine every single day. I am in a routine now."
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By going to Paris, she doubled her medal count and etched herself into ESPY history.
Fox News' Connor McGahan contributed to this report.
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