Tragic Details About Gisele Bündchen's Life

Gisele Bündchen lives a glamorous life, but that does not mean she has not experienced her fair share of hardships. The legendary model has been in the public eye for well over half her existence, and alongside her many extraordinary highs have been some deep lows. Some of these are the result of her profession, while others have to with the overwhelming pressures of fame and the unfortunate reality of living life under a microscope. Then there are those tragic experiences to which many can relate, such as divorce and death. Bündchen has weathered her struggles with grace and aplomb, and her dedication to self-care is a large factor in her continued ability to cope with stress.

Bündchen was living with her family in a rural Brazilian town when she was scouted while shopping by an agent for Elite Model Management. She was only 14 at the time of her discovery and, by 16, was pursuing modeling full-time in New York City. Bündchen's career was already thriving by the time she signed with Victoria's Secret in 2000, but this was a turning point for the star. She went on to dominate the fashion industry for the bulk of two decades thereafter, ranking as the world's highest-paid model from 2002 to 2016. In addition to being a model, Bündchen is also an author, social and environmental activist, and occasional singer. Read on to learn some tragic details about Gisele Bündchen's charmed life.

When one thinks "dangerous jobs," model is not exactly at the top of the list. Soldier? You bet. Police officer or firefighter? Sure. Even zookeeper, maybe, but models and hazardous working conditions are not an immediate connection in the brain. There are clear issues that models face — unhealthy body pressures, intense amounts of sexualization, walking in crazy-high heels down a runway without falling — but the day-to-day of being a model seems like it should not carry with it a potential threat of death. And while most of the time it does not, there are rare instances where a model is tasked with doing something ridiculously dangerous to get the right shot. In fact, Gisele Bündchen has made it clear that she once had a near-death experience for that very reason.

It was in a March 2024 "True Confessions" segment on "The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon" that Bündchen first discussed the scary ordeal that occurred on the Icelandic set of a Lanvin commercial in the late 1990s. The powers-that-be had the model posing on a fake iceberg — in water surrounded by actual icebergs — to promote the Oxygene fragrance. She was dressed in just a slip dress while everyone behind the camera was outfitted with life jackets and warm clothing, which could have spelled disaster when she nearly fell into the ocean. "And I would have been dead in seconds, because you know what happens when you fall inside the freezing water of the icebergs?" Bündchen asked. "Seconds, you're dead. Dead!"

There are a great number of perks to being famous, but few celebrities will tell you that fame is all good things. In fact, many stars struggle mentally at the start of their careers or when they first escalate to a higher level of notoriety. Public scrutiny, invasive media attention, envy from peers, the emergence of people with questionable motives, being a moneybag for an army of people — all of these things become issues when a person reaches a certain level of fame. It is no wonder, then, that Gisele Bündchen has said that she was miserable during the years in her 20s when her fame skyrocketed. Bündchen has on multiple occasions discussed suffering from anxiety and depression, and she has said this period in particular was especially difficult.

The model has said that life on the "hamster wheel" led to a lack of self-care — she barely ever took a day off, nourished herself poorly, and relied on wine and cigarettes to make it through her days — that intensified her depression and anxiety, resulting in regular panic attacks. "I lived on the ninth floor, and I had to go up the stairs because I was afraid I would be stuck on the elevator, and I'd be hyperventilating," the star recalled to "CBS Sunday Morning." "Because you know, when you can't breathe even when the windows are open, you feel like, 'I don't want to live like this.'" Bündchen even confessed to fantasizing about jumping out of her window at one point.

If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline​ by dialing 988 or by calling 1-800-273-TALK (8255)​.

Model Gisele Bündchen has been able to improve her mental health by doing things like eating healthfully, exercising, and meditating, and in 2024 published a book in the wellness genre, entitled "Nourish: Simple Recipes to Empower Your Body and Feed Your Soul: A Healthy Lifestyle Cookbook." But for as healthy and calm a life as she tries to lead, there is no possible way for Bündchen to remain Zen 24/7 while living life in a virtual fishbowl. This was clearly evident when the star was documented on video breaking down to a police officer during a traffic stop in Miami-Dade County in April 2024. Bündchen's distressed state is palpable, and her tears are an important reminder that extreme fame comes at a cost.

The model was pulled over for a traffic violation, but released with only a warning due to the nature of the situation. In bodycam footage released to the public, Bündchen emphasized the role of the paparazzi in her violation, claiming that she was simply attempting to get away from a photographer who had been "stalking" her. "I'm so tired," Bündchen said through tears (via the New York Post). "Everywhere I go I have these f**king guys after me. Nothing protects me. I can't do nothing. I just want to live my life." It may not be a case of stars being just like the rest of us, but it is hard not to feel for someone so incredibly distraught by their unique situation.

While divorce is never a walk in the park, some celebrities seem to be incredible at picking up the pieces and moving on at the speed of light after a marital breakup. Though she did eventually move on after divorcing football legend Tom Brady, Gisele Bündchen was not one of those stars who jumped into a new relationship right away. She took time to secure a new normal for her children, and to sit with the complex feelings that come along with the end of a long union. In a 2023 interview with Vanity Fair, Bündchen said that her October 2022 divorce — after 13 years of marriage — was like "the death of my dream."

"It's tough because you imagine your life was going to be a certain way, and you did everything you could, you know?," she said in the interview. "You give a hundred percent of yourself, and it's heartbreaking when it doesn't end up the way you hoped for, and worked for, but you can only do your part." Bündchen reiterated this sentiment the following year when she was interviewed by Robin Roberts for "IMPACT x Nightline: Gisele Bündchen: Climbing the Mountain." She again spoke of her heartbreak, but also her gratefulness for what was (and her children) as well as her excitement at her new chapter. Though the model stressed to Roberts that she was focused on herself and her kids, it is public knowledge that she has been dating jiu-jitsu trainer Joaquim Valente since June 2023.

A family member dying is more than enough to fill a person with sadness but tack that death onto a second one and the devastation only amplifies. And yes, in Gisele Bündchen's situation, one of those deaths was of the canine variety, but anyone with a beloved pet knows they truly are members of the fam. It was on Christmas Eve 2023 that Lulu, the pit bull mix that Bündchen shared with her ex-husband, Tom Brady, and their children, died. "Our little Lulu, our guardian angel, has gone to heaven. She will always live in our hearts. We already miss her so much! #unconditionallove RIPLulu," she posted on Instagram alongside a series of photos of Lulu alone and with different family members.

Only a month and four days later, Bündchen suffered an even greater loss when her cherished mother, Vania Nonnenmacher, passed at age 75. "It hurts to know that I won't be able to hug you anymore, but I know that you will always be watching over us. You were an angel on earth, always helping everyone around you," the model wrote in a touching letter posted to Instagram two days after her mother's death. "I am so grateful to be your daughter and to have learned from you. Thank you for being the best role model of love, strength, compassion, courage, and grace." Months later, Bündchen posted another moving tribute — this one about but not directed to her mother — to mark her first Mother's Day without Nonnenmacher.