DWTS Alum Prayed Hard for Fellow Show Star Through Challenging Experience

As “Dancing with the Stars” alum Suni Lee competed in the Paris Olympics, she had a very special supporter cheering her on. Lindsey Stirling, who is a violinist and fellow DWTS alum, went wild watching Lee compete, and for good reason.

Lee used some of Stirling’s music for her floor routine at the Paris Olympics. Lee also used Stirling’s work at the Olympics in Tokyo several years ago.

Stirling and Lee did not compete against one another on “Dancing with the Stars.” Stirling danced during season 25, while Lee was on season 30. Despite that, the ladies connected and now have an unusual and special bond.

Lindsey Stirling Thought the Performance Was ‘Magical’

On July 30, Stirling took to Instagram to share a video. “This was magical,” she wrote.

The video showed Stirling watching Lee on television as the Olympian performed her floor routine in Paris. “I was praying so hard for her,” Stirling noted.

Stirling also shared, “I wrote this song about perseverance; about having the courage to push through self doubt and obstacles.”

“Suni is the perfect person to embody this message. Last year she was diagnosed with 2 kidney diseases. She gained 40 pounds in one month, and she got continuously weaker,” Stirling explained.

She continued, “Her Dr. said she’d probably never do gymnastics again. January of this year her health began to return and she decided to train again… with less than 6 months till the Olympic trials.”

The “Dancing with the Stars” alum then shared a quote from Lee.

“This return was so much more than my return to elite gymnastics. It was me proving to myself that I can overcome hard things, and to hopefully inspire others to never let life’s setbacks stop you from going after your dreams.”

Stirling added, “She now feels like she’s better than ever.”

Throughout the video, Stirling navigated a wide range of emotions. She cheered, she wiped tears away from her eyes, and she had moments of anxiety as she anticipated Lee’s difficult moves.

In her caption, Stirling wrote, “Congrats to the gymnastics ladies for killing it today!”

As E! News shared, Lee won a bronze medal in the all-around competition and a gold for the team all-around. Teammate and fellow “Dancing with the Stars” alum Simone Biles took home the gold for the individual all-around.

DWTS Fans Loved That Suni Lee Used Stirling’s Work

“Dancing with the Stars” fans adored Stirling’s post. Fellow former contestant Ricki Lake commented with a string of emojis. In addition, show pros Sasha Farber and Emma Slater both “liked” the post.

When one of Stirling’s followers admitted they had tears in their eyes throughout Lee’s performance, she replied, “I had tears in my eyes the whole time.”

Another follower asked if the two ladies had met in person before. She replied that they met via FaceTime once, but “we need to meet in person.”

Singer Cassadee Pope commented, “Your music only made her stronger. This is so cool. 🙌”

Someone else wrote, “Women who support women. It’s a beautiful thing!”

“Chills just ran through my whole body, beautifully done, 🙌🙌🙌” shared another follower.

“🔥😍🔥 such a perfect Song was for this Powerful return 💯💯💯 Congrats to Suni for this Amazing [performance] and Congrats to you Lindsey for seeing the result of your inspiring, 👏👏👏” read a separate comment.

Several people commented that they hadn’t known of Lee’s health challenges before learning about them from Stirling.

A few suggested Stirling invite Lee to her upcoming show in Minneapolis so they could meet in person and fans could see it happen. Stirling’s show in Lee’s home state of Minnesota is scheduled for August 24.

Stacy Carey has been a freelance writer focusing on reality television and celebrity news for more than a decade. She is a Heavy contributor for The Bachelor, Hallmark and Dancing With the Stars. More about Stacy Carey