For many athletes, living with two eye conditions like strabismus and coloboma could be enough to shake their resolve. But not Stephen Nedoroscik, who instead went on to become a double Olympic medalist. But then life had an even bigger challenge in store: hip surgery in October 2026. Nedoroscik has now redirected that firm resolve to recovery, though, as he revealed, it’s not always smooth sailing.

Recently Nedoroscik posted an old video on TikTok of himself holding a one-arm handstand for 15.42 seconds in a straddled position. But more than his impressive athletic and acrobatic abilities, it was his words that left fans emotional.

“Missing times like this rn,” the pommel horse specialist wrote over the clip, while captioning the post, “Just a few more months of recovery.” It’s a feeling universal to any athlete who’s had to miss time away with injury, but in Nedoroscik’s case, it was more serious than average.

Stephen Nedoroscik suffered a cam deformity, which is when the ball of the hip joint is not perfectly round, and this caused an added strain and friction during every movement. This eventually caused a bilateral tear in the labrum and damage to the cartilage, which means his hip was getting damaged with high-level training and competition.

So, the surgery was necessary to remove the abnormal bone and repair the joint so he could regain strength and return to gymnastics.

Though he competed at the U.S. Gymnastics Championships, Nedoroscik looked in visible discomfort, causing him to downgrade his routine and even fall off the pommel horse. It was after that that he elected for surgery. Though the overall recovery process is expected to take six to nine months, Nedoroscik has been progressing well.

Just last week, Stephen Nedoroscik posted an update on Instagram showing him perform some basic handstands and pommel horse moves: “My hip is doing well and I’m cleared to do basics now 🙌🏻 Time to start putting some muscle back on 💪🏻.”

His comeback has been an inspiration to watch, but his recent post made fans and friends really emotional.

Fans believe in Stephen Nedoroscik’s comeback

Stephen Nedoroscik’s DWTS friend Ezra Sosa shared, “I got flash backs miss you.” But the friendship between a gymnast and a dancer did not happen by chance. It began on Dancing With the Stars Season 33, where both were part of the cast, and later continued together with the live touring company. Even though a year has passed since then, Ezra’s words show that the bond has not faded.

Another fan wrote, “Hang in there Steve. you will be back at it before u know it. can’t wait!! ❤️” One comment read, “Wishing you a speedy recovery 💕.” Another added, “Impressive, missing your routine.”

For Stephen Nedoroscik, facing surgery and recovery is not something new or unfamiliar. He was born with strabismus and coloboma, two eye conditions that affect how his eyes align and how clearly he sees. As a child, he underwent surgery to correct the alignment caused by strabismus. While the procedure helped, it did not fully fix the condition, and vision issues still affect him today.

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Stephen Nedoroscik has spoken about it: “I had surgery when I was little but it still affects me to this day.” Still, none of this stopped him from finding gymnastics at a very young age. When he was about four years old, his parents enrolled him in a local gym to help channel his endless energy. On his very first day, he climbed a 15-foot rope straight to the top.

Coaches noticed immediately, and soon after, he was invited to join the gymnastics team. That single moment became the starting point of everything that followed, including his Individual Pommel Horse bronze medal and Team USA’s bronze medal at the Paris Olympics.

One more fan added, “You keep pressing forward! You’ll be back to this in no time.” Another fan added, “And you make it look easy.. and i fr know you can do it again.”

Even though the current situation has him away from the gym, Stephen Nedoroscik’s mindset is already focused on what comes next. Recovery is just one part of the journey. His bigger goal is still very much alive. Stephen has made it clear that he wants to return, push himself again, and fight for a spot on the U.S. team for the Los Angeles Olympics. As he put it himself, “I’m going to continue going. L.A. [2028 Olympics] would be amazing, so I want to shoot for that.”

And knowing the level of skill he brings into the gym, it is easy to understand why fans believe he can do it again.