Three-time U.S. Olympian Jenny Simpson announced she will never compete again after suffering a sudden cardiac arrest and receiving a diagnosis of arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC), a condition that disrupts the heart's electrical system with scar tissue. The middle-distance runner collapsed on June 16 while pacing a community track event in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Simpson, 39, was saved by bystanders who performed CPR and used an Automated External Defibrillator before emergency responders arrived. Her heart stopped again upon reaching the hospital, leading to her placement on life support. She was transferred to Duke University Hospital, where her heart regained function after experiencing severe fluid buildup in her lungs.
"Then, miraculously, my heart woke back up," Simpson stated. "My whole body proved remarkably resilient. Within days, my heart and lungs were strong enough to work on their own."
In an Instagram post two months after the incident, Simpson revealed her diagnosis of ARVC. She stated that while her future is hopeful and will have great purpose, the diagnosis makes it dangerous for her to return to competitive running, marking the end of that chapter.
Simpson, who retired from professional racing in 2024, expressed gratitude for her career, which included a bronze medal at the 2015 Olympic Games in the women's 1500m race and a World Championship title in 2011. She asked well-wishers to express gladness that she is alive rather than offering sympathy.
"Please do not say that you're sorry or that you feel bad for me," Simpson urged her followers. "If it is true in your heart, please tell me you're glad that I'm here. That's how I feel - so glad that I'm still here."