Only a few wks ago, one of the world’s top stories, centered arnd Sha’Carri Richardson, & whether she’d be able to compete in the Olympics (100 Meter), after testing positive for cannabis. THAT became the focus.
Sha’Carri had been training her whole life, she WON the trials, & was the best chance the US had to win a gold.
Almost lost in all of it, was the sudden passing of her biological mom, only ONE wk before the trials. She’s built to perform, & yeah she lost her mom…found out from a reporter telling her, but she’s a warrior, right? She can & did overcome. Or wait…what are the long term ramifications here? How’s she handling this now? What’s going to happen moving fwd – to her life…& career?
Earlier this wk, I shared how “under the radar,” the US govt released #s showing that overdose deaths had risen to the largest # ever, over 93k, in 2020. But why do ppl turn to drugs? How often do we talk abt this? For so long in school we were told to “Just Say No,” w/o learning WHY ppl turn to drugs.
Now, imagine you’re a dominant bball player at Georgetown. You get drafted in 2003, 9th overall to the most valuable team in the NBA, the NY Knicks – & the draft is happening in NY!
The top players in the world go right before you – LeBron, Melo, Wade. And then you get selected, a life of accolades, doing what you love, riches, in front of you.
But then it all changes: You’re at the Rookie program before the season starts, in a room w all these tops players, just drafted, & your phone won’t stop ringing. Eventually leave the room, pick up, & it’s your brother – hysterically crying, bc your dad (your biggest supporter for 22 yrs) has died suddenly of a heart attack.
Your love of basketball is the only thing that can take your mind off the misery, so you go right back to playing. But…later in the season, the loss (& missing all these moments w your dad) & other challenges are too much to handle, & you swallow an ENTIRE bottle of pills. But you live to tell the story & help others – how loss can/does hit ANYONE & what it takes away. Where we turn for pain.
@mikesweetney joined the WAALC Podcast to discuss all.
