A North Carolina woman’s unsettling experience inside a tanning bed at Planet Fitness has sparked viral attention and raised fresh questions about privacy and security at fitness centers. But after days of fear and public outcry, she says she’s finally at peace—thanks to a thorough police investigation.
“The Door Was Wide Open”
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Bethany Bloomer, a TikTok user from Winston-Salem, shared her emotional ordeal online, saying she was fully nude in a tanning bed at Planet Fitness when she stepped out to find the room door wide open.
Bloomer says she had requested a 12-minute session but ended it early after 10 minutes due to burning skin. That’s when she noticed the open door. Shaken and still undressed, she quickly shut it and got dressed before reporting the incident to staff.
Suspicion, Shock, and a Call to Police
Initially told that staff had no keys to tanning rooms, Bloomer questioned who might’ve entered—or opened—the door. Distressed, she called her mom and later the police.
However, she says the first officer dismissed her concerns, claiming no crime had occurred and that there were no security cameras in the black card area. This only deepened her fears, especially about the possibility of a hidden camera or voyeur.
“I feel so unsafe, I feel so violated,” she said tearfully on TikTok, a post that has since been viewed over 690,000 times.
Public Outcry and Corporate Silence
Bloomer’s video prompted hundreds of comments, with some viewers sharing similar stories—ranging from privacy violations to more severe allegations.
Planet Fitness eventually responded via a TikTok comment asking her to send a direct message. Bloomer did, but later described their follow-up as unsatisfying, saying she received no real apology or assurance that safety measures would change.
The Truth Comes Out
As her post went viral, Bloomer says a detective from the Winston-Salem Police Department contacted her and reviewed surveillance footage—despite earlier claims that there were no cameras in the area.
To her huge relief, the footage showed that no one entered or peeked into the room. The video revealed that the door hadn’t latched properly and slowly swung open during her session.
“This is the BEST CASE SCENARIO!” she wrote in a follow-up, expressing gratitude that no crime had occurred.
Lessons Learned and Looking Ahead
Bloomer later issued an apology to Planet Fitness staff, clarifying she no longer believed anyone there was at fault. However, she stood firm in her criticism of the company’s handling of the issue.
“My issue is with things not being corrected and how Planet Fitness handled this as a whole,” she said.
While the police response ultimately reassured her, Bloomer says the experience highlights a bigger issue: facility safety and corporate accountability.
She hopes her story encourages gyms to regularly check the security and functionality of private rooms—especially those where members may be vulnerable.
As for Planet Fitness, the company has yet to issue a public statement about potential changes or investigations at the Winston-Salem location.
