Suni Lee won the award for the 'best comeback athlete of the year' at the ESPYs 2025. The American gymnast expressed her elation on receiving the award and expressed that it was a dream come true for her.Lee competed in the Paris Olympics after undergoing multiple struggles, which included overcoming a rare kidney disease. The 22-year-old concluded her NCAA career early back in 2023 due to her recurring health issues and also skipped the selection camp for the Pan American Games and the World Championships 2023.The American gymnast made her recovery and slowly returned to the mat for the Paris Olympics. Despite struggles in her early appearances during the 2024 season, Suni Lee remained optimistic and eventually qualified for the US Olympic team for the Paris Olympics. Lee concluded her Paris Olympics campaign with two gold medals (all-around and team).Her comeback received great praise from fans and she was awarded the ESPY award for the ' best comeback athlete of the year'. Fans expressed their thoughts on social media about Suni Lee winning the honor."An Olympic champion who never stopped fighting. Grace, grit, and gold all over again," wrote a fan."Her gold medal win in Tokyo feels like a distant memory now, overshadowed by the dramatic narrative of her resilience !!!" another fan chimed in."She really came back swinging—gold medalist energy only! 🥇🔥 " tweeted another fan.Here are some more fan reactions:"Well deserved! Suni’s resilience and comeback story is pure gold, on and off the mat!" another fan chimed in."She had such a positive spirit and fought against her kidney disorder. She is amazing," tweeted another fan."🏅 What an inspiring journey for Suni Lee! From overcoming challenges to clinching Olympic gold, her resilience and determination have redefined what it means to be a comeback athlete. ⭐ Her story reminds us that setbacks can lead to the most spectacular comebacks!" wrote a fan.Suni Lee opens up about the moment she got to know about her kidney diseaseSuni Lee competes in Gymnastics - Artistic - Olympics: Day 9 - Source: GettySuni Lee spoke about the moment she got to know about her kidney disease in an interview with Women's Health magazine. The Olympic gold medalist revealed that she was shocked when she heard the news, and it was something that she did not expect would happen to her.Moreover, Lee was fearful, as she was not sure whether she would be able to return to compete again."I was in shock. Before I got sick, I didn’t really know anything about kidney disease other than that it was a serious illness. It never occurred to me that it could happen to someone my age or someone as healthy and fit as I was," she said."My mind was racing. I was so afraid I wouldn’t be able to compete again. It was heart wrenching not being able to do the thing I loved. Gymnastics is my safe space. Whenever I’m working through anything emotionally, I go to the gym and work it out. It’s my therapy. It’s my sacred place," she concluded.However, despite going through a tough time, Suni Lee maintained a positive attitude and decided to fight her way back into the gymnastics circuit once again.