Gisele Bündchen reveals she almost died during a photo shoot in Iceland

Gisele Bundchen has opened up about a near-fatal experience she had while modelling in the late 1990s.

The supermodel, 43, recently revealed that she almost died during a photo shoot in Iceland on top of an actual iceberg. While playing “True Confessions” during a recent episode of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Bündchen was prompted to describe the incident as host Jimmy Fallon and fellow guest Wayne Brady had to guess if it was true.

“I did a photo shoot on a fake iceberg in Iceland and I almost fell off into the ocean,” Bündchen read from the card. She explained that the photo shoot, which was to promote Lanvin’s Oxygene fragrance, took place around 1997 or 1998.

The mother of two was surrounded by real icebergs, noting that she “would’ve been dead in seconds” if she had fallen into the ocean. “You know what happens inside of the freezing water of the icebergs? [In] seconds you’re dead - dead!” she exclaimed.

After confirming that the incident did indeed happen, Bündchen went on to explain how she was wearing a slip dress during the shoot while crew members were dressed in life vests and puffer jackets on a boat.

“But I’m alive,” she added.

The model’s career has soared to even bigger heights since her nearly disastrous photoshoot more than 25 years ago. She became a Victoria’s Secret Angel in 1999 until 2006, and went on to become the highest-paid model in the world for 15 years running, according to Forbes.

Bündchen retired from professional modelling in 2015, after starting her career when she was just 14 years old. At the time, she was focused on raising her two children - son Benjamin, born 2009, and daughter Vivian, born 2012 - with her then-husband, Tom Brady. The model and the former New England Patriots quarterback were married in 2009, but shocked the world when they announced their divorce in October 2022.

In a recent interview with Robin Roberts, titled “IMPACT x Nightline: Gisele Bündchen: Climbing the Mountain,” Bundchen showed herself getting emotional when asked about her split from her husband of 13 years. As she burst into tears, she admitted that she needed a second to compose herself and turned away from the camera. “Sorry, guys. I don’t know. Can I have a little moment?” she asked.

At one point during the interview, Roberts asked Bündchen about co-parenting her two children with Brady. “I think there’s easier days than others, and I can only control what I do,” she said.

These days, the model is rumoured to be dating her jiu-jitsu instructor, Joaquim Valente. Speaking to Vanity Fair in March 2023, Bündchen publicly addressed her relationship with Valente for the first time.

“I think, at this point, unfortunately, because I’m divorced, I’m sure that they’re going to try to attach me to anything,” she said, referring to reports that the pair are dating. “I’m so grateful to know all of them, because not only have they helped me and helped my kids, but they have become great friends, and Joaquim especially.

“He’s our teacher and, most importantly, he’s a person that I admire and that I trust. It’s so good to have that kind of energy, to have my kids around that type of energy.”