Fitness Influencer Shares Terrifying Incident That Almost Claimed Her Life

Fitness influencer and Blogilates creator Cassey Ho is reflecting on 2025, the year that almost claimed her life. In a long and poignant post, she has been vulnerable with her fans, discussing what happened to her and why she will be making significant changes in 2026. 

Cassey Ho Shares How She Almost Drowned 

On January 1, 2026, Ho posted several photos on Instagram. The slides tell a story about what happened to her, starting with the message that 2025 was “the year I almost died.” It happened on July 4, when she was working on completing her scuba diving certification and doing her second round of IVF. Her instructor took her 70 ft. below sea level, and she encountered several giant sea bass. 

“My body entered a state of pure awe,” she wrote of seeing the fish. “But it was in that instant that my next breath didn’t come. Instead of inhaling air, I inhaled saltwater. I tried again to suck oxygen from my regulator, and instead I gulped more saltwater.”

She continued, “I grabbed my instructor and shook him by the shoulders. He tried to give me his spare air but nothing was working. I couldn’t breathe. Oh my god I was suffocating. My lungs started begging for air. Fighting for my life, tears began to well up in my eyes. Is this what it feels like to drown? Is this how my story ends?”

The Wake up Call She Needed

The terrifying encounter made Ho reflect on her life and the people whom she loves the most. She was overwhelmed with sadness that she did not get to say goodbye or find “peace” with her parents. Ho described the time underwater, not being able to breathe, as feeling like “an eternity,” but she was able to make it out of that situation alive and expressed her relief. She also reflected on how hard she had been working and how sleep-deprived she had been. 

Ho ended her message with a hopeful thought. She took the incident as a warning sign to slow down and prioritize her health. “I now view myself as Cassey B.N.D. (Before Near Death) and Cassey A.N.D. (After Near Death) because they are 2 different people,” she shared. “2026 has to be the year I seriously prioritize my health (mental, emotional, and physical) above all else because nothing’s going to change if I don’t do something.”

Fans Rally Around Cassey Ho

Fans flooded the comment section with their thoughts, praising Ho for sharing such a scary part of her life with so much openness and honesty. “I too ​​have decided that my health and happiness must come first in 2026,” a comment reads. “People don’t understand the pressure and stress that social media puts on our lives being content creators. It’s just not worth it. Put yourself first. That will be your greatest accomplishment .”

“Cassey my heart dropped so many times reading this,” another fan shared. “We are rooting for you guys. So freaking much.” 

A third comment reads, “Your work ethic is unparalleled and your openness and vulnerability draw all of us to you year after year. We are rooting for 2026 Cassey so hard!!”

The post Fitness Influencer Shares Terrifying Incident That Almost Claimed Her Life appeared first on EntertainmentNow.