Speedy

As you might of heard, last Monday 2010 Olympic Silver medalist Jeret Speedy Perterson was found dead in a canyon in Utah. He had shot himself. Plenty of suicides happen so why am I writing about this one? Well Jeret meant a lot to me. He was a freestyle skier with a move named after him called the hurricane- which involved 3 flips and 5 twists. He caught my eye right before the 2006 Olympics when there was an article is Sports Illustrated about him. I tore it out, put it on my wall next to my other sport articles, but this one I put so it would be the closest thing to me when I woke up. Jeret was an amazing athlete who was talented enough to be in 3 Olympics, win a silver medal, and win the 2005 world cup. But in other areas of his life he wasn't as fortunate. As a kid Jeret was molested by a family member, his sister was killed by a drunk-driver, and also lost his uncle. He went thtough depression and alcohol abuse because of all these traumatic events. And right before the 2006 games, his roommate who he had taken in to help him through his hard times committed suicide right in front of him. To see Jeret at the 2006 games on TV even though he did not win gave me strength. Here I was a 16 tear old kid dealing with abuse, feeling alone and that no one could understand me. I was lost. So I decided to write a letter to Jeret, the first and only time I ever wrote a letter to anyone famous. I wasnt expecting anything back but basically I told him how he gave me strength and inspiration. About less than a week after while I was on the phone with friends studying for a test, my mom came in my room and said Jeret was on the phone for me. I had not given him my number. My mother thought the whole thing was fishy but basically he had reassured her and she let me talk to him. I was shaking, could not believe he had taken the time to call some little kid. He gave me such strength. He told me there was sun on the other side of the mountain, I just had to keep climbing even though it was dark. He shared some other personal things with me, a total stranger to him. The advice he gave me helped me through some really dark and difficult times. He was my hero. He gave me his number and here and there I would text him. The last time I spoke to him was 4 years ago. What other athlete or other famous person would do the same? He told me he was ok and that he had gotten through his hard times and I will get through mine. Finally I made it through, I would say for the last 8 months or so I have been doing really well, I never though this time would come. I made it partially due to Jerets advice, it kept me going. I cried so much when I heard he was gone and that an amazing person is gone from this world. I just wish he could have taken his own advice, he must have been in so much pain that he couldn't stay here anymore. I know that I will miss him very badly as will many others who knew him much better than I ever did. Jeret I hope you have found peace and are no longer in pain from all the tragedies you went through and just know how much you helped me. God bless ya.