Jackie Apostel, the girlfriend of Cruz Beckham, has marked the second anniversary of her spinal fusion surgery by sharing a topless black-and-white photograph on Instagram. The image, which shows Apostel wearing only a pair of jeans, includes the text: 'Your scars are sexy.' In the caption, she wrote: '2 years ago today I had my full spinal fusion. never ever felt better and we love a cute scar. just a lil wear & tear jeans are @goodamerican (happy 4th ??!)'
Background on Jackie Apostel and Cruz Beckham
Apostel, a 30-year-old Brazilian-German singer, songwriter and music producer, began dating Cruz Beckham, 21, in 2024 after meeting at that year's Glastonbury Music Festival. The couple went Instagram official in October 2024, and Apostel has become a fixture in the Beckham household, including congratulating Victoria Beckham on her Paris Fashion Week runway show that same year with a candid Instagram snap.
Spinal fusion surgery and scoliosis
Spinal fusion is a surgical procedure that connects two or more vertebrae to eliminate motion and improve stability, often used to treat chronic pain from conditions like arthritis, fractures, or herniated discs. Last year, Apostel revealed she had scoliosis, a condition where the spine curves sideways, causing uneven posture and, in severe cases, chronic back pain and nerve compression. Alongside her latest post, she shared an X-ray comparison of her spine before and after the surgery.
Fans and followers expressed appreciation for her vulnerability. Omiatra commented: 'so proud ... scars don't define a person they just make them even cooler.' Vivis_makeup wrote: 'Scars are evidence we live a full life.' Curvaspine thanked her for being 'an amazing advocate,' while terezjam agreed: 'We deserve recognition.' Alexaconnolly1 called her 'a true champion.'
Reflections on recovery
On the first anniversary of her surgery last year, Apostel described the recovery as 'absolute hell.' In a reflective post, she shared a photo of her back in a gold dress and wrote: '1 year ago today I had my scoliosis surgery so we're celebrating with a big dress and an AI painting sitting here reflecting a little bit and weirdly I went into this day last year with zero fear. I fully pranked my mind into thinking it was no big deal. The 2 weeks after that were absolute hell but I think what really kept me going was having something to go back to. I was determined to be back in the studio no more than 1 month to the day post op. 25 days later we were back.'
She credited her support network: 'I would have never ever made it through those 2 weeks if I wasn't surrounded by so much support and love. people go through far worse than this every day and in times where you're physically and mentally weak you really realize what a crazy difference conversation and comfort can have on you. Having someone check on you all the time, help you, love you. A year later, most days I forget I even did it.'
Meeting Cruz Beckham
Apostel first met Cruz Beckham after their managers put them in a studio together to collaborate on music. She told followers: 'I left that day knowing you were an unbelievable musician but most importantly that you loved it so much from the bottom of your heart and you would never stop, regardless of what anyone else thought.' On her birthday, Cruz shared a photo of her blowing out candles with the caption: 'Happy birthday xx I love you.'
