Reality TV personality Nikki Exotika is recovering after undergoing emergency triple bypass heart surgery, according to a fundraiser and social media updates shared by her mother following a recent medical crisis that landed the entertainer in intensive care. The former 90 Day Fiancé star reportedly suffered a mild heart attack days before the life-saving procedure after months of escalating symptoms that had initially gone undetected by doctors.
Per Just Jared, the 50-year-old television personality had reportedly been dealing with chest pain, shortness of breath, fatigue, and difficulty exercising for months while continuing to rehearse and perform ahead of a planned summer tour.
According to details shared by her mother, Myrna, Exotika sought medical help multiple times beginning last fall and underwent extensive cardiac testing, including an EKG, echocardiogram, and stress test.
Despite those evaluations, she was reportedly told her heart appeared healthy.
The situation escalated after she nearly collapsed during a live performance and later suffered what her family described as a mild heart attack while heading back to a cardiology appointment.
Myrna later revealed that doctors at Hackensack University Medical Center discovered severe arterial blockages after performing an angiogram. Because the arteries were too calcified for stents or angioplasty, surgeons proceeded with triple bypass surgery.
“Nicole now requires triple bypass surgery, where surgeons will reroute blood flow around the blocked arteries using healthy blood vessels,” Myrna wrote in the fundraiser description.
She also confirmed that Exotika signed a power of attorney over to her mother while recovering from the operation.
Exotika became widely known through Season 10 of 90 Day Fiancé, which documented her relationship with Justin Shutencov during a 2023 trip to Moldova. Throughout the season, she spoke openly about her experiences as a transgender woman and the challenges that affected their relationship before the pair eventually split.
Outside of reality television, Exotika has spent years building a career across music, nightlife, and television, including appearances on shows such as Pose and Orange Is the New Black.
She is also affiliated with the legendary House of Xtravaganza, one of the most influential houses in New York ballroom culture. Founded in the early 1980s, the House of Xtravaganza helped bring voguing and ballroom culture into the mainstream through connections with artists like Madonna and documentaries such as Paris Is Burning.
Although Myrna emphasized that Exotika’s health insurance covers the surgery itself, the family launched a GoFundMe campaign to help cover rent, monthly expenses, and recovery costs while the entertainer is unable to work.
“Any contribution—big or small—would mean the world to us during this difficult time,” Myrna wrote in the fundraiser message.
