It’s all too often these days that we hear about the horrors athletes have gone through to achieve the their dreams. It’s heartbreaking and one has to wonder who is protecting these kids.
Olympian Laurie Hernandez opened up on Instagram about the verbal abuse she received from a coach.
“I had so many experiences that lead to multiple panic attacks where I’d just stand in front of the equipment and… cry. Hard. I felt like I couldn’t breathe; and I wanted to go home but I couldn’t cause I was just a kid,” she wrote on Instagram.
The athlete went on to talk about how she questioned herself and if she was just too dramatic. She questioned if these things ever happened to her at all.
“This kind of behavior and treatment is never okay,” Laurie added. “There are some things from my experience that will unfortunately stick with me forever, and I’ll always be working to heal from it–but sharing my story gives me a chance to close the chapter, take a deep breath, and start something new.”
We admire her courage coming forward. It makes a difference to people out there, and lets them know they are not alone.
Thank you Laurie.
