BRANDON, Miss. — Before she became a three-time Olympic medalist and before she earned the title of world’s fastest woman, Frentorish Bowie welcomed a camera crew to her hometown, Sandhill, Miss.
“This is where I found my strength,” Bowie, who was nicknamed Tori, said of the small town 30 minutes northeast of Jackson.
It was 2016, and at age 26 Bowie was about to make her Olympic debut as part of the U.S. sprinting team at the Rio de Janeiro Games. But first she stopped at Pisgah High School to visit teachers and staff and found herself wiping away happy tears. She loved being home.
“One day I hope that I can come to Sandhill and there’s this huge sign that says, ‘Welcome to Sandhill, home of Tori Bowie,’” she said.
On Saturday, the community that took such pride in Bowie was struggling for answers as it gathered for her funeral and mourned her recent unexplained death. She was 32.
Her body was found on May 2 by Orange County, Fla., sheriff’s deputies, who were…
This article was written by Talya Minsberg and originally published on www.nytimes.com