The Boise State University gymnastics team has reacted to former member Hailey Okula’s sudden death following childbirth complications.
“We are saddened to hear of the passing of former Boise State gymnast Hailey (Gaspar) Okula,” a Friday, April 4, tribute on the team’s Instagram page read. “Okula had an amazing career at Boise State (2010-12) as she garnered two All-WAC first team honors. She also earned three 9.950s on vault and helped the Broncos win the 2011 WAC Championships.”
The statement added, “Following her collegiate career, Okula moved to California and began work as a nurse. She poured her passion of teaching others through her business RN New Grads, helping new nurses thrive. Our thoughts are with her husband and newborn as they navigate this tragic loss.”
Hailey died on March 29 at the age of 33, moments after giving birth to her and husband Matthew Okula’s first baby, son Crew. The social media personality had suffered an amniotic fluid embolism (AFE), which occurs when amniotic fluid enters the mother’s bloodstream and triggers a life-threatening reaction.
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“It’s incredibly rare and devastating. Her OBGYN said they were doing everything they could, but it just took over,” Matthew, an engineer with the Los Angeles Fire Department, exclusively told Us Weekly on Friday, April 4. “I couldn’t wrap my head around it. She was so healthy, everything had gone well, and then suddenly she was gone.”
He added, “Even in the ICU with every specialist — cardiologists, pulmonologists — no one could save her. It was just so fast, and her body was hit with everything at once: heart failure, lung failure, internal bleeding. There’s no treatment protocol for this. It’s just rolling with each complication as it comes and trying to keep the patient alive.”
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Hailey and Matthew met during college and eventually got married in 2022. After two years of struggling with infertility, they completed a successful cycle of IVF last year. Hailey announced via Instagram in September 2024 that she was pregnant.
Since Hailey’s sudden passing, Matthew wants to make sure that Crew grows up knowing all about his mother.
“I talk to him about her constantly. I want him to know how amazing she was — how much she’s still doing for us,” Matthew told Us. “He’s going to hear about her all the time. I show him her nursing skits [and] her gymnastics videos. She wasn’t just a brilliant entrepreneur — she was a Division I gymnast, an amazing wife, sister, daughter and friend. She impacted so many people.”
