Influencer Chessie King on the terrifying moment she lost 70% of her hearing - 'people thought I was having a heart attack'
Social media star Chessie King has opened up about the devastating effects of a stroke she suffered at the age of just 23, which left her with 70% hearing loss. The fitness influencer, who recently opened up about the intense pressures of being a bikini model , spoke about the terrifying moment.
Chessie, 31, recalled of the 2016 stroke: “There was so much intensity in that period of my life and it all came to a head when I was in my second boxing class of the day. It was only 9am and I had a mini stroke. A lot of the people who witnessed it thought I was having a heart attack. And from there, I lost 70% of hearing in my ear, so I'm partially deaf now.”
Chessie, who now has a three-year old daughter, Auraelia, with husband Mathew Lewis-Carter, explained on the latest episode of Timotei’s new podcast, A Gentle Start: The Showercast , that the complications from the stroke also led to her needing a cesarean section during labour, as well as a heart operation. However, she believes the terrifying ordeal has made her body stronger.
READ MORE: GP's 'stay home' warning as contagious new 'Kawasaki bug' sweeps UK
READ MORE: I'm A Celeb star's horrifying health battle left her 'on verge of death' days before show
“I wish I could go back to that Chessie and give her a cuddle,” the internet sensation said. “Now I live not just for today, but I do things for the future. If I could look in the mirror and tell myself something the day that I found out I was pregnant with Aurelia, I would tell myself to trust myself and trust that everything's going to be okay. My body knows what it's doing.”
Chessie also opened up to the Showercast about making it through a rough patch with Mathew, who she married in 2022, admitting the pair came dangerously close to calling it quits.
“We just became unrecognizable to each other, and I didn't feel comfortable around him,” she said. “I didn't feel like I could be myself around him. We felt like housemates. It felt like parenting with a stranger, and it felt like we're just getting by.
"And I've never wanted to be someone that just gets by. I don't want to be just ticking along. I want to be thriving. I just love living every part of my life, and Matt just felt like he was so disconnected from myself, from Aurelia”
The couple, who often appear in each other’s social media posts, are now actively working on their relationship.
“I’m not one for confrontation, so it took me a lot to just open up - and now we check in with each other regularly,” Chessie said. “We're still figuring things out, like every other couple, but we're working it out.”
Designed to be listened to during your morning shower routine, the new five-part podcast Showercast features different celebrities each week, all sharing how they practice the growing wellness trend of gentle living in their everyday life.
