Carol Alt was quietly battling debilitating health issues that left her so drained and weak that the model was convinced she was "on the verge of death."Alt, one of the most recognizable faces of the 1980s, made her Sports Illustrated Swimsuit debut in 1981 and landed the cover just a year later.She was featured in the outlet six times between 1981 and 1989.
Despite gracing the pages of numerous magazines, including Vogue, the star was dealing with a range of physical challenges."I had issues my whole life," Alt told fellow Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model and friend Kim Alexis, host of the "Unexpired" podcast."I had allergies as a kid.
I would rupture my stomach coughing.Everything made me cough."CHRISTIE BRINKLEY SHARES HER TOP BEAUTY TIP AND SECRET TO FITNESS IN HER SEVENTIESCarol Alt was interviewed by fellow Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model Kim Alexis for the "Unexpired" podcast.
(Arnold Jerocki/WireImage,)"...I had been praying," she later recalled.
"I said, 'I don't feel good.' I was doing a job.I didn't look good.
I literally escaped from the job, and it had my name on it....
Everybody looked better than me.Everybody was feeling better than me, projecting better than me.
And I went back to L.A.really depressed, and I just started praying.
I was like, 'Something's happening.Let me know what it is.
Whatever it is, whatever you need me to do, tell me.'"Carol Alt attends the premiere screening of "Paper Empire" on Feb.25, 2025, in London.
(Eamonn M.McCormack/Getty Images for MIP London)At the height of her modeling career, Alt was running on empty.
She often subsisted on poor nutrition and restrictive eating habits.The constant exhaustion she felt didn't fade; it only intensified over time. She also struggled with frequent headaches and sinus problems that left her feeling fatigued.
Getting by on little sleep during her constant travels, she fueled herself with coffee, sugar and processed foods, leaving her with digestive issues.It was her friend ...