Olympic gold medalist <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/olympic-gymnast-mary-lou-retton-fighting-for-her-life" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mary Lou Retton</a> broke her silence amid her ongoing health battle after she was recently able to return home following weeks in the intensive care unit where she was battling a rare form of pneumonia.
In a statement posted on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CzB6eqRrVPF/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Instagram</a>, the 55-year-old wrote about the support people had shown to her and her family. Retton&#8217;s daughter, McKenna <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/daughter-of-olympic-gymnast-mary-lou-retton-shares-update-about-moms-health-battle" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kelley,</a> first told the public that her mom was &#8220;fighting for her life,&#8221; asking for help to cover hospital bills because Retton doesn&#8217;t have health insurance. A fundraiser on <a href="https://www.spotfund.com/story/a2e0582c-e62f-4e5b-a586-18349014f761?source=c&amp;share_location=s&amp;fbclid=PAAaZua1bNubyczYeUsMTxwjBYmTarRvaDP6yK1AQH6ErOxPTuihZjWIBoKA8_aem_AZ-INiQDhLCzMfKws43g8f4Q7YxanY7_QrB4VVhkb10ixaTi-pXkuAHNdSo9cSsgJ8M&amp;SFID=s6z51cs&amp;referral_id=45b800a8-5f58-4eeb-b032-ea579f7eaab7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SpotFund</a> collected more than $455,000 in donations, surpassing its $50,000 goal.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Mary Lou Retton speaks out for first time after her life-threatening health scare. <a href="https://twitter.com/EvaPilgrim?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@evapilgrim</a> has more on her road to recovery. <a href="https://t.co/0QO0QdECqP">https://t.co/0QO0QdECqP</a> <a href="https://t.co/wLNd69c9IF">pic.twitter.com/wLNd69c9IF</a>
— Good Morning America (@GMA) <a href="https://twitter.com/GMA/status/1719321559414845821?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 31, 2023</a></blockquote>
&#8220;I&#8217;m beyond blessed to have the opportunity to make this statement,&#8221; Retton said. &#8220;I am overwhelmed with all the love and support from the world as I fight. I am forever grateful to you all! I&#8217;m with family continuing to slowly recover and staying very positive as I know this recovery is a long and slow process.&#8221;
&#8220;I appreciate everyone&#8217;s respect of my privacy at this time,&#8221; the post added. &#8220;When the time is right, I will be sharing more information about my health issues and hope I can help others who may face the same battle as me. I love you all.&#8221;
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The statement was the first since Kelley shared a <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cyv_P7hRAQi/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">major update</a> with fans on October 23.
&#8220;Mom is HOME and in recovery mode. We still have a long road of recovery ahead of us, but baby steps,&#8221; Kelly wrote at the time. &#8220;We are overwhelmed with the love and support from everyone. Grateful doesn&#8217;t scrape the surface of the posture of our hearts. Thank you Jesus, thank you doctors and nurses, thank you to this loving community of support.&#8221;
In a post earlier this month, Kelley&#8217;s sister, Shayla Kelley Schrepfer, shared that the former gymnast had a &#8220;scary setback&#8221; and was still in the ICU dealing with pneumonia. It came days after she shared that Retton was &#8220;getting stronger.&#8221;
&#8220;Mom&#8217;s progress is truly remarkable,&#8221; the message on social media read. &#8220;Prayers have been felt and have been answered. Although she remains in the ICU, her path to recovery is steadily unfolding. Her fighting spirit is truly shining. Her breathing is becoming stronger and her reliance on machines is diminishing.&#8221;
In 1984, Retton made history at the Summer Olympics held in Los Angeles when she became the first American woman to win an individual all-around gold medal, <a href="https://people.com/former-olympic-gymnast-mary-lou-retton-fighting-for-her-life-in-icu-8349994" target="_blank" rel="noopener">People magazine</a> noted. Her victory led to her being named &#8220;Sportswoman of the Year&#8221; by Sports Illustrated magazine, and she also famously appeared on the Wheaties box.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mary-lou-retton-suffers-scary-setback-and-remains-in-icu-daughter-says" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mary Lou Retton Suffers &#8216;Scary Setback&#8217; And Remains In ICU, Daughter Says</a>

Mary Lou Retton-1

Mary Lou Retton Breaks Silence Amid Health Battle

Celebrities

Gymnastics

hospital

Sports

U.S.

Olympic gold medalist Mary Lou Retton’s daughter, McKenna Kelley, revealed that her mom is &#8220;fighting for her life&#8221; amid a battle with pneumonia — and doesn&#8217;t currently have health insurance.
The daughter of the famous 55-year-old gymnast said on behalf of her and her sisters they need prayers and help because her mom is currently in an Intensive Care Unit [ICU] where she&#8217;s been dealing with a &#8220;rare form of pneumonia&#8221; — and they don&#8217;t have the financial means to cover the hospital costs.
&#8220;My amazing mom, Mary Lou, has a very rare form of pneumonia and is fighting for her life,&#8221; the message read on a crowdfunding site called <a href="https://www.spotfund.com/story/a2e0582c-e62f-4e5b-a586-18349014f761?source=c&amp;share_location=s&amp;fbclid=PAAaZua1bNubyczYeUsMTxwjBYmTarRvaDP6yK1AQH6ErOxPTuihZjWIBoKA8_aem_AZ-INiQDhLCzMfKws43g8f4Q7YxanY7_QrB4VVhkb10ixaTi-pXkuAHNdSo9cSsgJ8M&amp;SFID=s6z51cs&amp;referral_id=45b800a8-5f58-4eeb-b032-ea579f7eaab7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SpotFund</a>.
&#8220;She is not able to breathe on her own,&#8221; she added. &#8220;She’s been in the ICU for over a week now. Out of respect for her and her privacy, I will not disclose all details.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
U.S. gymnastics legend Mary Lou Retton, the first American woman to win the all-around gold medal at the 1984 Olympics, is now fighting for her life against a rare form of pneumonia, her family says. <a href="https://twitter.com/kristendahlgren?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@kristendahlgren</a> reports and <a href="https://twitter.com/drtaranarula?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@drtaranarula</a> shares medical insight. <a href="https://t.co/ousA8QGs7r">pic.twitter.com/ousA8QGs7r</a>
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) <a href="https://twitter.com/TODAYshow/status/1712074886833721741?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 11, 2023</a></blockquote>
&#8220;However, I will disclose that she not insured,&#8221; the message continued. &#8220;We ask that if you could help in any way, that 1) you PRAY! and 2) if you could help us with finances for the hospital bill. ANYTHING, absolutely anything, would be so helpful for my family and my mom. Thank y&#8217;all so very much!&#8221;
The fundraiser was set with a goal of $50,000 and has already well surpassed that, with the fundraiser at $272,431 at the time of this publication. More than 4,000 donors have given to the fund for the Olympic-winning gymnast who stole America&#8217;s heart in the 1980s.
In 1984, Mary Lou Retton made history at the Summer Olympics held in Los Angeles when she became the first American woman to win an individual all-around gold medal, <a href="https://people.com/former-olympic-gymnast-mary-lou-retton-fighting-for-her-life-in-icu-8349994" target="_blank" rel="noopener">People magazine</a> noted.
Her stunning victory lead to her landing the title of Sports Illustrated&#8217;s &#8220;Sportswoman of the Year,&#8221; and she also famously appeared on the Wheaties box.
Before Retton retired in 1986, she won the American Cup all-around competition for the third time in 1985, the outlet noted. And she was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame in 1997.
Retton and her ex-husband Shannon Kelley share four daughters together, McKenna, Shayla, Skyla, and Emma. McKenna ended up following in her mom&#8217;s footsteps and competed at Louisiana State University as a gymnast.

Olympic Gymnast Mary Lou Retton ‘Fighting For Her Life’

Olympic Gymnast Mary Lou Retton 'Fighting For Her Life'

Olympic

Seven-time Olympic medalist Simone Biles is planning to return to elite competition for the first time since she bowed out of the 2020 Tokyo Games, which were held in 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Biles stepped away from competition, citing concerns over her mental health, and has not competed. In the time since, she<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/simone-biles-olympic-gymnasts-blister-fbi-over-handling-of-larry-nassar-case-in-explosive-congressional-testimony" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> joined several teammates in testifying</a> on Capitol Hill about the abuse she and others suffered at the hands of former team doctor Larry Nassar. The 26-year-old gymnast also recently married Green Bay Packers strong safety <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/olympic-gold-medal-gymnast-simone-biles-and-jonathan-owens-announce-engagement" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jonathan Owens</a>.
But according to ESPN, the once-reigning champion plans to compete at the U.S. Classic in early August – just one year ahead of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France.
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Simone Biles plans to compete at the U.S. Classic in early August, her first event since the 2020 Tokyo Olympics 🙌 <a href="https://t.co/avQHZN5Yxi">pic.twitter.com/avQHZN5Yxi</a>
&mdash; ESPN (@espn) <a href="https://twitter.com/espn/status/1674080875594522627?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 28, 2023</a></blockquote>
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USA Gymnastics confirmed the <a href="https://www.axios.com/2023/06/28/simone-biles-return-gymnastics-us-classic?utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter&amp;utm_campaign=editorial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news</a> on Wednesday, announcing that Biles would be entered into the women&#8217;s field for the U.S. Classic, which is scheduled to take place on August 4-5 at Chicago&#8217;s NOW Arena.
Several of Biles&#8217; teammates from Tokyo will also be entered in Chicago, including Tokyo all-around champion Sunisa Lee – who took home two gold medals from the 2020 Games. Jade Carey and Jordan Chiles, who also competed in Tokyo, are slated to compete as well.
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Biles was the biggest name in gymnastics for years, shocking the world when she announced just after her first competition that she would be <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/simone-biles-out-of-gymnastics-team-final-in-tokyo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sitting out</a> the rest of the Tokyo Games.
&#8220;Simone has withdrawn from the team final competition due to a medical issue,&#8221; U.S.A. Gymnastics <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/07/27/sports/gymnastics-olympics-results" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a statement at the time. &#8220;She will be assessed daily to determine medical clearance for future competitions.&#8221;
Biles later revealed that she had suffered from a condition known in gymnastics as &#8220;<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/its-a-miracle-i-landed-on-my-feet-simone-biles-discusses-twisties-tokyo-experience" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the twisties</a>&#8221; — which causes athletes to lose track of where they are during aerial twists and flips and can potentially result in serious injury.
&#8220;It’s so dangerous,&#8221; Biles <a href="https://www.thecut.com/article/simone-biles-olympics-2021.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said of her experience in Tokyo</a>. &#8220;It’s basically life or death. It’s a miracle I landed on my feet. If that was any other person, they would have gone out on a stretcher. As soon as I landed that vault, I went and told my coach: &#8216;I cannot continue.'&#8221;

Gymnastics – Artistic – Olympics: Day 11

Simone Biles To Return To Competition One Year Ahead Of Paris Olympics

Olympics

Simone Biles

Olympic gymnast Shawn Johnson East shared in an emotional reaction on Instagram after a <a class="c-link" href="https://dailywire.com/news/graphic-bodycam-footage-shows-heroic-police-response-to-nashville-shooting/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://dailywire.com/news/graphic-bodycam-footage-shows-heroic-police-response-to-nashville-shooting/" data-sk="tooltip_parent">school shooting</a> rocked the Nashville community on Monday morning, saying, &#8220;I know prayers can’t take it back but I’m still going to pray like hell.&#8221;
Johnson took home the gold medal on balance beam in 2008 — and landed a team silver medal in addition to individual silver medals for her performances in the floor exercise and all-around — and she revealed on social media that she had been just across the street filming when chaos erupted outside <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/police-release-footage-of-nashville-christian-school-shooter" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Covenant School</a>.
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Johnson&#8217;s post showed only the first names of the six people — three students and three staff members — who were shot to death in the attack. Alongside that image, she shared her thoughts as the situation unfolded.
&#8220;Too close. We were literally across the street filming when chaos ensued. When we started getting the calls, heard the sirens, saw the parents flying to get their babies,&#8221; Johnson began, adding that when they called the schools to check on their own children, they learned that other schools in the area were also locked down.
&#8220;Racing to pick up our own babies just to have them home and close. Hearing the news slowly come in about the 3 beautiful babies and the 3 staff members that were unfairly taken away from our world and their families,&#8221; she continued. &#8220;We sat in silence yesterday listening to the sirens, the helicopters, the chaos &#8230; Too close.&#8221;
&#8220;I woke up this morning in tears feeling guilt and sadness that we are ok and some families are not. I woke up scared to take our babies back to school or anywhere for that matter. I woke up sad for everyone, for our country, our world,&#8221; Johnson added.
<a class="c-link" href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://onelink.to/dwapp" data-sk="tooltip_parent" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-8762">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP</a>
She concluded by saying that it was only her faith that was keeping her strong: &#8220;I know prayers can’t take it back but I’m still going to pray like hell. I believe our God is good. It’s all I can believe in right now. My faith is all I can lean on right now. God, please save us all from this evil.&#8221;

Six Killed In Mass Shooting At A Private School In Nashville

‘God Please Save Us’: Olympic Gymnast Was Across The Street When Nashville Shooting Started

Olympic Gymnast Shawn Johnson East Was Across The Street When Nashville Shooting Started

Nashville

Prayer

School Shooting

Shooting

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Two <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/fbi">ex-FBI agents</a> accused of botching the sex-abuse case against former <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/larry-nassar">USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar</a>, who molested girls on the team, will not be charged, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said Thursday.
Following a “careful re-review of evidence,” the department declined to charged the former agents, who are accused of lying about their work on the case. The former agents were being probed in the wake of gripping testimony last year from gymnastics superstar Simone Biles and several of her teammates who were victimized by Nassar even though he had been reported to the FBI.
“This does not in any way reflect a view that the investigation of Nassar was handled as it should have been, nor in any way reflects approval or disregard of the conduct of the former agents,” the DOJ said in a statement.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
U.S. declines to prosecute ex-FBI agents who botched probe of USA Gymnastics doctor Nassar🧐 ⁦<a href="https://twitter.com/FBI?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FBI</a>⁩ is an incompetent career group of government employees! 🤮Criminal Organization! <a href="https://t.co/ab1SHxDYeI">https://t.co/ab1SHxDYeI</a>
&mdash; 3904speed (@3904speed) <a href="https://twitter.com/3904speed/status/1529946748113670145?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 26, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco ordered a review after several gymnasts gave tearful testimony to the House Judiciary Committee last September. The described the abuse they suffered under Nassar, the now-58-year-old doctor from Michigan State University who is in prison for life for possession of child pornography and molesting at least 10 underage girls. Prosecutors suspect he sexually assaulted hundreds of girls under the guise of rendering medical treatment.
DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz found that the former FBI agents, a supervisor and his subordinate, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/fbi-nassar-investigation-failures/2021/07/14/ebc37274-e4c4-11eb-8aa5-5662858b696e_story.html?itid=lk_inline_manual_3&amp;itid=lk_inline_manual_8">lied to internal investigators</a> to cover up their failure to investigate credible claims made against Nassar in 2015. That failure allowed Nassar to continue to victimize young girls. One of the agents, W. Jay Abbott, retired and the other, Michael Langeman, was fired last year.
The Justice Department said it will “continue to learn from what occurred in this matter, and undertake efforts to keep victims at the center of our work and to ensure that they are heard, respected, and treated fairly throughout the process, as they deserve,” and said it wanted to work with Congress to address unspecified gaps in the law to “help prevent events like this from taking place in the future and hold perpetrators accountable.”
Simone Biles and three other high-profile gymnasts <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/gymnasts-nassar-fbi-investigation-hearing/2021/09/14/de4832cc-159f-11ec-9589-31ac3173c2e5_story.html?itid=lk_inline_manual_9&amp;itid=lk_inline_manual_14">gave emotional testimony </a>to the Judiciary Committee last year about Nassar’s abuse and the FBI’s failure to act.
“I blame Larry Nassar, and I also blame an entire system that enabled and perpetrated his abuse,” Biles told lawmakers.
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At least 330 girls and women have said Nassar molested them.
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FBI Director Christopher Wray called the bureau’s failures “inexcusable.&#8221;
&#8220;It never should have happened, and we’re doing everything in our power to make sure it never happens again,” he said.
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Langeman allegedly lied to Horowitz’s office in interviews in 2020 and 2021, according to the IG report. Langeman was questioned about why he did not pursue an investigation of Nassar and why he wrote a report of an interview with a key victim more than a year after the interview took place. The IG report did not name Langeman, but found that he lied “in an effort to minimize or excuse his errors.”
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The Inspector General also determined that USA Gymnastics President Stephen Penny unsuccessfully lobbied for Abbott, who headed the FBI’s Indianapolis office, even while Nassar was being investigated.
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Ex-FBI Agents Who Dropped Ball In USA Gymnastics Molestation Case Won’t Be Charged, DOJ Says

Ex-FBI Agents Who Dropped Ball In USA Gymnastics Molestation Case Won't Be Charged, DOJ Says

Crime

Larry Nassar

Lawyers representing 13 women plan on suing the FBI for $130 million — $10 million for each individual — alleging that a “bungled investigation” by FBI agents led to additional abuse from former USA Gymnastics and Michigan State team doctor Larry Nassar.
&#8220;This was not a case involving fake 20 dollar bills or tax cheats,&#8221; attorney Jamie White <a href="https://www.espn.com/olympics/gymnastics/story/_/id/33778847/thirteen-larry-nassar-victims-seeking-130m-fbi-bungled-investigation">said</a>. &#8220;These were allegations of a serial rapist who was known to the FBI as the Olympic U.S. doctor with unfettered access to young women.&#8221;
According to <a href="https://www.espn.com/olympics/gymnastics/story/_/id/33778847/thirteen-larry-nassar-victims-seeking-130m-fbi-bungled-investigation">ESPN</a>, the women are not suing yet, but the FBI has six months to reply to the tort claim.
In September, gymnasts Simone Biles, Maggie Nichols, Aly Raisman, and McKayla Maroney shocked Congress, revealing details of the sexual abuse they suffered at the hands of Nassar and blistering the FBI, which they say failed to act on repeated reports by American gymnasts, and may have even covered up evidence of an abusive system.
The hearing came days after FBI agent Michael Langeman was fired after failing to pursue an investigation into the gymnasts’ claims.
In July, the Justice Department’s Office of Inspector General released a report criticizing Langeman — unnamed at the time — and his boss Jay Abbott for their handling of the Nassar case.
In 2015, Langeman interviewed Olympic gymnast McKayla Maroney regarding her allegations that Nassar abused her. The report by the inspector general states that Langeman and Abbott never “officially opened an investigation” and lied to investigators about their actions. The report states that Abbott — who is retired — told the FBI to release false statements in 2017 <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2021/07/14/politics/justice-department-investigation-report-nassar/index.html">saying</a> that his office “expeditiously responded” to the allegations against Nassar.
Raisman said that it took over fourteen months for FBI agents to contact her after her report to USAG [USA Gymnastics] in June 2015 that Nassar abused her and that Nassar continued to sexually assault dozens of young women and girls during that time.
“From July 2015, when the allegations were first reported to the FBI, to September 2016, Nassar continued to treat gymnasts at Michigan State University, a high school in Michigan, and a gymnastics club in Michigan,” the report <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/watchdog-report-blasts-fbi-fundamental-errors-gymnastics-sex-abuse-investigation-n1273987">said</a>. “Ultimately the investigations determined that Nassar had engaged in sexual assaults of over 100 victims and possessed thousands of images of child pornography, led to his convictions in federal and state court, and resulted in Nassar being sentenced to incarceration for over 100 years.”
FBI Director Christopher Wray apologized in his September opening statements for the FBI’s failure to stop Nassar.
“I’m deeply and profoundly sorry to each and every one of you,” Wray <a href="https://news.yahoo.com/fbi-director-wray-nassar-monster-gymnasts-biles-maroney-hearing-174019967.html">said</a> in his opening statement. “I’m sorry for what you and your families have been through. I’m sorry so many people let you down over and over again. And I’m especially sorry there were people at the FBI who had their own chance to stop this monster back in 2015 and failed, and that is inexcusable. It never should have happened, and we’re doing everything in our power to make sure it never happens again.”
In December, victims of Nassar reached one of the largest settlements for sex abuse ever recorded.
“USA Gymnastics, U.S. Olympic &amp; Paralympic Committee and their insurers have agreed to fund a $380 million settlement with victims of longtime national team physician Larry Nassar, drawing to a close a five-year legal battle that has upended American Olympic sports governance,” The Wall Street Journal <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/nassar-victims-reach-380-million-settlement-with-usa-gymnastics-and-u-s-olympic-and-paralympic-committee-11639406377">reported</a>.
The settlement also included non-monetary provisions, “including requirements for self-identified survivors of abuse in gymnastics to have official roles in USA Gymnastics.”
Joe Morgan is the Sports Reporter for The Daily Wire. Most recently, Morgan covered the Clippers, Lakers, and the NBA for Sporting News. Send your sports questions to sports@dailywire.com.

US-JUSTICE-NASSAR

Thirteen Larry Nassar Victims Seeking $130 Million From FBI Over Handling Of Investigation

Athlete

Sexual Abuse

The victims of former USA Gymnastics team physician Larry Nassar reached one of the largest settlements for sex abuse ever recorded on Monday, according to a report by <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/nassar-victims-reach-380-million-settlement-with-usa-gymnastics-and-u-s-olympic-and-paralympic-committee-11639406377">The Wall Street Journal</a>. 
“USA Gymnastics, U.S. Olympic &amp; Paralympic Committee and their insurers have agreed to fund a $380 million settlement with victims of longtime national team physician Larry Nassar, drawing to a close a five-year legal battle that has upended American Olympic sports governance,” The Journal <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/nassar-victims-reach-380-million-settlement-with-usa-gymnastics-and-u-s-olympic-and-paralympic-committee-11639406377">reported</a>.  
The settlement also includes nonmonetary provisions, “including requirements for self-identified survivors of abuse in gymnastics to have official roles in USA Gymnastics.” 
Olympian Jamie Dantzscher was the first to file a civil lawsuit against USA Gymnastics and the USOPC in September 2016, with more than 500 others filing following Dantzscher&#8217;s lawsuit. 
In May 2018, Michigan State University — which employed Nassar for decades — agreed to settle lawsuits from 332 women against Nassar for $500 million. According to the attorney — reports ESPN —that settlement in addition to Monday’s $380 million settlement makes it the largest in a sexual assault case involving a single perpetrator. 
“Survivors have now received a total of $880 million in compensation for their pain and suffering at the hands of this monster and the institutions who enabled him, Michigan State University, USA Gymnastics, and the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee,” <a href="https://www.wilx.com/2021/12/13/nassar-victims-reach-settlement-with-usa-gymnastics/">said</a> John Manly, the lead attorney representing victims, in a press release. “These organizations spent more than $100 million on corporate lawyers to evade their legal and moral responsibility. We prevailed for one simple reason: the courage and tenacity of the survivors. These brave women relived their abuse publicly, in countless media interviews, so that not one more child will be forced to suffer physical, emotional, or sexual abuse in pursuit of their dreams.”
The news comes three months after Gymnasts Simone Biles, Maggie Nichols, Aly Raisman, and McKayla Maroney shocked Congress, revealing details of the sexual abuse they suffered at the hands of the former USA Gymnastics team doctor and blistering the FBI, which they say failed to act on repeated reports from American gymnasts and may have even covered up evidence of an abusive system. 
The Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing in September examining the FBI’s handling of the Larry Nassar case, in which the four Olympic gymnasts — Biles, Nichols, Raisman, and Maroney — testified about the abuse they suffered under the former Olympic gymnastics doctor’s care and how the FBI failed to act on their reports. 
The hearing came days after FBI agent Michael Langeman was fired for failing to pursue an investigation into the gymnasts’ claims.
In July, the Justice Department’s Office of Inspector General released a report criticizing Langeman — unnamed at the time — and his boss Jay Abbott for their handling of the Nassar case.
In 2015, Langeman interviewed Olympic gymnast McKayla Maroney regarding her allegations that Nassar abused her. The report by the inspector general states that Langeman and Abbot never “officially opened an investigation” and lied to investigators about their actions. The report states that Abbott — who is retired — told the FBI to release false statements in 2017 <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2021/07/14/politics/justice-department-investigation-report-nassar/index.html">saying</a> that his office “expeditiously responded” to the allegations against Nassar. 
During the hearing, Raisman said that it took over fourteen months for FBI agents to contact her after her report to USAG [USA Gymnastics] in June 2015 that Nassar abused her and that Nassar continued to sexually assault dozens of young women and girls during that time.
FBI Director Christopher Wray apologized in his opening statements for the FBI’s failure to stop Nassar.
“I’m deeply and profoundly sorry to each and every one of you,” Wray <a href="https://news.yahoo.com/fbi-director-wray-nassar-monster-gymnasts-biles-maroney-hearing-174019967.html">said</a> in his opening statement. “I’m sorry for what you and your families have been through. I’m sorry so many people let you down over and over again. And I’m especially sorry there were people at the FBI who had their own chance to stop this monster back in 2015 and failed, and that is inexcusable. It never should have happened, and we’re doing everything in our power to make sure it never happens again.”
Joe Morgan is the Sports Reporter for The Daily Wire. Most recently, Morgan covered the Clippers, Lakers, and the NBA for Sporting News. Send your sports questions to sports@dailywire.com.

US Gymnasts Testify As Senate Examines FBI’s Handling Of Larry Nassar Investigation

Report: Victims Of USA Olympic Team Doctor Larry Nassar To Be Paid $380 Million In Settlement

Gymnast Jade Carey brought home the gold for her floor performance while representing the United States on Monday.
Carey, a 21-year-old from Arizona, overcame immense pressure to take home the gold for the U.S. after favorite Simone Biles pulled out of the individual competition citing her mental health.
Carey scored a 14.366 for her impressive tumbling routine, edging out Italy&#8217;s Vanessa Ferrari.
The athlete earlier competed on the vault, where she took eighth place.
&#8220;Coming back from a day like yesterday, I&#8217;m really proud of myself for being able to put that behind me and finish with probably the best floor routine I&#8217;ve ever done in my life,&#8221; Carey <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/tokyo-olympics-live-updates/2021/08/02/1023663532/jade-carey-gold-olympic-floor-exercise-final-tokyo-ferrari">said</a> following her gold-winning performance.
&#8220;Simone especially was helping me let it go and move on [from the vault performance],&#8221; the gymnast said. &#8220;She said: &#8216;It happened, and you can&#8217;t do anything about it. She was like, &#8216;Let&#8217;s go out and kill floor,&#8217; and that&#8217;s what I did.&#8221;
Last week, Biles notably pulled out the women’s team finals citing her mental health.
“Whenever you get in a high-stress situation, you kind of freak out. I have to focus on my mental health and not jeopardize my health and well-being,” the gymnast <a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/simone-biles-naomi-osaka-mental-health-olympics_n_61001bdae4b00fa7af7c385b">told</a> reporters.
“We have to protect our body and our mind. It just sucks when you’re fighting with your own head.”
“I feel like I’m also not having as much fun — and this Olympic Games I wanted it to be for myself and it felt like I was still doing for other people — and that hurts my heart that doing what I love has been taken away from me.”
“There’s more to life than just gymnastics,” Biles added.
The 24-year-old later made the decision to skip further individual competitions.
“After further medical evaluation, Simone Biles has withdrawn from the final individual all-around competition, in order to focus on her mental health,” a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/simone-biles-withdraws-from-individual-all-around-event-to-focus-on-mental-health">statement</a> from USA Gymnastics said. “Simone will continue to be evaluated daily to determine whether or not to participate in next week’s individual event finals. Jade Carey, who had the ninth highest score in the qualifications, will participate in her place in the all-around.”
“We wholeheartedly support Simone’s decision and applaud her bravery in prioritizing her well-being. Her courage shows, yet again, why she is a role model for so many.”
Biles <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/simone-biles-will-compete-in-balance-beam-event-on-tuesday">announced</a> Monday that she will be back to compete on the balance beam on Tuesday.
With Biles withdrawing from numerous competitions she was favorited to win, the other gymnasts on Team USA have certainly stepped up.
Aside from Carey&#8217;s floor gold, 18-year-old American Sunisa Lee took gold in the women’s individual all-around gymnasts competition last week.
Lee becomes the fifth-straight American woman to take home the gold in the all-around competition.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/stepping-up-suni-lee-wins-gold-for-america-after-simone-biles-pulls-out-of-competition">Suni Lee Wins Gold For America After Simone Biles Pulls Out Of Competition</a> 
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/simone-biles-endorsements-to-only-grow-following-olympic-withdrawal-report">Simone Biles’ Endorsements To Only Grow Following Olympic Withdrawal: Report</a>

Gymnastics – Artistic – Olympics: Day 10

Stepping Up: Jade Carey Wins Gold For USA In Floor Competition After Biles Withdrawal

Tokyo Olympics

After fierce debate erupted over iconic U.S. gymnast Simone Biles’ withdrawal from the gymnastics team final on Tuesday after she had trouble with her vault, which led to the U.S. women’s team winning the silver medal instead of the gold medal that was widely expected, Biles’ teammate Sunisa Lee spoke out, tweeting, “We do not owe anyone a gold medal.”
Lee wrote, “never been prouder to be apart of such an amazing team with an amazing group of girls. we stepped up when we needed to and did this for ourselves. we do not owe anyone a gold medal, we are WINNERS in our hearts.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
never been prouder to be apart of such an amazing team with an amazing group of girls. we stepped up when we needed to and did this for ourselves. we do not owe anyone a gold medal, we are WINNERS in our hearts. 🤍
&mdash; Sunisa lee (@sunisalee_) <a href="https://twitter.com/sunisalee_/status/1420203575309856768?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 28, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Lee also offered a nickname for the team in the vein of the nicknames of previous teams, tweeting a picture of herself, Biles, Jordan Chiles and Grace McCallum, and captioning it, “The Fighting 4.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
THE FIGHTING 4. <a href="https://t.co/f8YWClsYiP">pic.twitter.com/f8YWClsYiP</a>
&mdash; Sunisa lee (@sunisalee_) <a href="https://twitter.com/sunisalee_/status/1420202021093724163?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 28, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
“First, there was the ‘The Magnificent Seven’ in 1996. Then came the ‘The Fierce Five’ in 2012 and ‘The Final Five’ in 2016. Now, it appears to be ‘The Fighting Four,’&#8221; <a href="https://www.nbcolympics.com/news/fighting-4-nickname-us-womens-gymnastics-team-revealed">NBC News</a> reported.
Chiles unexpectedly performed in two events: balance beam and bars. She stated, “Throughout the whole thing, I was telling myself like, &#8216;This is for the team, I&#8217;m gonna have to do what I normally do throughout each training that I&#8217;ve done and show out.  And you know, at the end of the day, it was all for the team &#8230; it was very stressful and emotional, but we&#8217;re good.&#8221;
Lee added, &#8220;We did it for Simone.”
On Tuesday, after Biles withdrew, USA Gymnastics tweeted, &#8220;Simone Biles has withdrawn from the team final competition due to a medical issue. She will be assessed daily to determine medical clearance for future competitions.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Official statement: &quot;Simone Biles has withdrawn from the team final competition due to a medical issue. She will be assessed daily to determine medical clearance for future competitions.&quot;
Thinking of you, Simone! <a href="https://t.co/QA1GYHwWTv">pic.twitter.com/QA1GYHwWTv</a>
&mdash; USA Gymnastics (@USAGym) <a href="https://twitter.com/USAGym/status/1419992728352526339?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 27, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
After Biles withdrew from the team event, she stated, as reported by <a href="https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/storm-remains-threat-bringing-rain-it-lurks-off-coast-2021-07-26/">Reuters:</a>
<blockquote>There is more to life than just gymnastics. … It is very unfortunate that it has to happen at this stage because I definitely wanted these Olympics to go a little bit better. But again, take it one day at the time. We&#8217;ll see how the rest goes.</blockquote>
&#8220;It just sucks when you are fighting with your own head,&#8221; she continued. &#8220;You want to do it for yourself but you&#8217;re just too worried about what everybody else is going to say, think, the internet. So I just had to stay off of it for the past couple of days. It&#8217;s just like when everybody tweeted you and you feel that weight of the world. I felt it, and at the end of the day, if I had pushed through that &#8230; okay, this is for me. It is for me, but I feel like I have do to it for other people first.&#8221;
Biles told reporters, “No injury, thankfully, and that’s why I took a step back because I didn’t want to do something silly out there and get injured. I thought it was best if the girls took over and did the rest of the job which they absolutely did. It’s been really stressful these Olympic Games. I just felt like it would be a little bit better to take a back seat and work on my mindfulness. I knew that the girls would do an absolutely great job,” <a href="https://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/tokyo-2020-olympics-07-27-21-spt/h_d8427df201bae9c30114bbe797515df9">CNN</a> reported.
She also <a href="https://www.marca.com/en/olympic-games/2021/07/27/61003e79e2704eafa88b4645.html">stated</a>, “After the performance I did, I just didn&#8217;t want to go on. I have to focus on my mental health. I just think mental health is more prevalent in sports right now. We have to protect our minds and our bodies and not just go out and do what the world wants us to do. I don&#8217;t trust myself as much anymore. Maybe it&#8217;s getting older. There were a couple of days when everybody tweets you and you feel the weight of the world.”
After the team won the silver medal, Biles stated, &#8220;For me, I’m proud for how the girls stepped up and did what they had to do. I owe this to the girls, it has nothing to do with me. I am very proud of them.” She said she told the team after she withdrew, &#8220;You have done all the training, you can do this without me, and it will be just fine.&#8221;
Biles later told the “Today” show, “We&#8217;re going to take it day by day, and we&#8217;re just going to see. … Physically, I feel good, I&#8217;m in shape. Emotionally, that kind of varies on the time and moment. Coming to the Olympics and being head star isn&#8217;t an easy feat, so we&#8217;re just trying to take it one day at a time and we&#8217;ll see.”

GYMNASTICS-OLY-2020-2021-TOKYO-PODIUM

‘We Do Not Owe Anyone A Gold Medal’: Simone Biles’ Teammate After Backlash From Biles’ Withdrawal

Widely considered to be the greatest gymnast of all-time, Simone Biles entered the Tokyo Olympics with nearly unprecedented levels of hype. 
Early Tuesday morning, Biles pulled out of the women’s gymnastics finals after an awkward vault attempt and taking a big step on her landing. She scored a 13.766 on the attempt and was seen walking off of the floor with trainers with an apparent injury.
Biles returned to the floor, as she was scheduled to compete on the uneven bars. Shortly after, it was announced that she had withdrawn from the event and was replaced by Jordan Chiles.  
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Confirmed: After one routine, Simone Biles 🇺🇸 will sit out the rest of the Women&#39;s Team final in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ArtisticGymnastics?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ArtisticGymnastics</a> at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Tokyo2020?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Tokyo2020</a>. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Olympics?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Olympics</a>
&mdash; FIG (@gymnastics) <a href="https://twitter.com/gymnastics/status/1419984879266238474?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 27, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The NBC broadcast team said that Biles was not injured, instead dealing with a “mental issue,” but a statement from U.S.A Gymnastics stated it was in fact a &#8220;medical issue.&#8221;
“Simone has withdrawn from the team final competition due to a medical issue,&#8221; U.S.A. Gymnastics <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/07/27/sports/gymnastics-olympics-results">said</a> in a statement. &#8220;She will be assessed daily to determine medical clearance for future competitions.”
It&#8217;s unclear whether Biles will be able to participate in her upcoming individual events.
Biles entered the Olympics with as much hype as any Olympic athlete. She has an opportunity to win five gold medals in Tokyo, which would be the most gold medals at a single Games for an American female Olympian. 
On Sunday, the U.S. gymnastics team got off to a surprisingly slow start. Biles struggled as the team finished second behind the Russian team in qualifying. It’s the first time the Americans have failed to finish first in team standings since the 2010 world championships. 
“This was not the finals,” U.S. high-performance director Tom Forster <a href="https://www.espn.com/olympics/story/_/id/31880478/us-women-gymnastics-team-2nd-place-qualifying-first-decade">said</a>. “This was getting into the finals. So this might be a great awakening for us and we’ll take advantage of it.” 
Biles admitted to having “the weight of the world” on her shoulders after her difficult day during U.S. qualifying. 
&#8220;It wasn’t an easy day or my best but I got through it. I truly do feel like I have the weight of the world on my shoulders at times,&#8221; Biles <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CRxsq_kBZrP/">wrote</a> on Instagram. &#8220;I know I brush it off and make it seem like pressure doesn’t affect me but damn sometimes it’s hard hahaha! The Olympics is no joke! BUT I’m happy my family was able to be with me virtually. They mean the world to me.&#8221;
The U.S. team settled for a silver medal, with Russia taking home the gold and Great Britain the bronze medal.
Joe Morgan is the Sports Reporter for The Daily Wire. Most recently, Morgan covered the Clippers, Lakers, and the NBA for Sporting News. Send your sports questions to sports@dailywire.com.

Gymnastics – Artistic – Olympics: Day 4

SHOCK: Simone Biles Out Of Gymnastics Team Final In Tokyo

A former USA Gymnastics coach who worked with convicted rapist Dr. Larry Nassar killed himself Thursday, the same day he was hit with 24 charges, including human trafficking and sexual assault.
&#8220;Former U.S. Olympic gymnastics coach John Geddert, who led the women’s team to a gold medal in the 2012 Olympics, committed suicide Thursday after he was charged with sexual assault and human trafficking in relation to acts that occurred at a Michigan gym he owned and ran for decades,&#8221; <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2021/02/25/john-geddert-gymnastics-human-trafficking/">The Washington Post</a> reported Thursday.
Geddert stood accused of “abuse and forced labor, intimidating them, threatening them and sexually abusing at least one victim by digitally penetrating her when she was between the ages of 13 and 16,” <a href="https://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/ny-john-geddert-former-us-olympics-gymnastics-coach-arrested-20210225-u55ha5jflvf43dshqbu32spmsi-story.html">The New York Daily News</a> reports.
Geddert and Nassar, the team’s doctor, worked together for roughly 20 years. In 2018, Nassar <a href="http://hollywoodlife.com/2018/01/24/larry-nassar-sentenced-prison-175-years-sexual-assault-jail/">was sentenced</a> to a minimum of 40 years and maximum of 175 years in prison for sexually assaulting scores of young girls, including members of the USA Olympic Gymnastic team Aly Raisman, McKayla Maroney, Simone Biles and others.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/watch-father-3-abused-gymnasts-asks-1-minute-alone-hank-berrien/">At the sentencing</a>, Randall Margraves, whose three daughters were allegedly sexually assaulted by Nassar, stood facing Nassar in the Michigan courtroom. Margraves, whose daughters Lauren and Madison Rae had just finished speaking, plaintively asked the judge if he could have five minutes alone with the “demon” in a locked room. When the judge refused, saying, “You know I can’t do that,” Margraves hurled himself toward Nassar, prompting security officers to restrain him as Margraves cried out, “Let me at that son-of-a-b****!”
Prior to his death, the Michigan Attorney General’s Office issued a <a href="https://www.michigan.gov/ag/0,4534,7-359-92297_99936-552927--,00.html">statement</a> vis-à-vis Geddert on Thursday saying:
<blockquote>Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel’s office has filed 24 criminal charges against John Geddert … Geddert, 63, of Grand Ledge, was expected to turn himself in to authorities today at the Eaton County Sheriff’s Office Substation in Delta Township and was scheduled to be arraigned at 2:15 p.m. today in Eaton County District Court 56A before Judge Julie O’Neill. Charges filed against Geddert include: </blockquote>
<ul>
<li>14 counts of human trafficking, forced labor causing injury, a 15-year felony; </li>
<li>Six counts of human trafficking of a minor for forced labor, a 20-year felony; </li>
<li>One count of continuing criminal enterprise, a 20-year felony; </li>
<li>One count of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, a life offense felony; </li>
<li>One count of second-degree criminal sexual conduct, a 15-year felony; and</li>
<li>One count of lying to a peace officer during a violent crime investigation, a four-year felony </li>
</ul>
The Attorney General’s office stated:
<blockquote>The Attorney General’s office alleges that Geddert’s treatment of young gymnasts constitutes human trafficking as he reportedly subjected his athletes to forced labor or services under extreme conditions that contributed to them suffering injuries and harm. Geddert then neglected those injuries that were reported to him by the victims and used coercion, intimidation, threats and physical force to get them to perform to the standard he expected. 
Geddert sold his reputation as an Olympic-level coach and promised to unsuspecting parents that he could turn his students into world-class athletes, allowing them to secure college scholarships, the Attorney General’s office alleges. Under the guise of coaching, he reportedly subjected multiple young women to an environment of continued abuse, in which he also neglected advice of medical doctors – except that provided by Larry Nassar, who served for around 20 years as Geddert’s team physician and in-house medical expert at Twistars.</blockquote>
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel told reporters, “The victims suffer from disordered eating, including bulimia and anorexia, suicide attempts and attempts at self harm, excessive physical conditioning, repeatedly being forced to perform even when injured, extreme emotional abuse and physical abuse, including sexual assault.”
After the report of Geddert&#8217;s death, Nessel commented, “This is a tragic end to a tragic story for everyone involved.&#8221;

John Geddert

USA Gymnastics Coach Linked To Larry Nassar Commits Suicide After Being Charged For Sex Trafficking

Human Trafficking

On Tuesday evening, Sports Illustrated <a href="https://www.si.com/sportsperson/2018/12/06/rachael-denhollander-inspiration-year-award-sports-illustrated-gymnast?__twitter_impression=true">announced</a> the person they were acknowledging as their &#8220;Inspiration of the Year.&#8221; They made a singularly appropriate choice, naming Rachel Denhollander, the lawyer and gymnast who was the first woman to come forward with charges of sexual assault against former Michigan State and USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nasser.
But Sports Illustrated also chose someone whom some people might find inappropriate to present the award: Christine Blasey Ford, who made uncorroborated, unverifiable, and unsubstantiated accusations against Judge Brett Kavanaugh that he had sexually assaulted her when they were both teenagers. As Rachel Mitchell, Nominations Investigative Counsel United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary, <a href="https://www.scribd.com/document/389821761/Mitchell-Memo">wrote in a comprehensive analysis</a> of Blasey Ford&#8217;s testimony:
<blockquote>
In the legal context, here is my bottom line: A &#8220;he said, she said&#8221; case is incredibly difficult to prove. But this case is even weaker than that. Dr. Ford identified other witnesses to the event, and those witnesses either refuted her allegations or failed to corroborate them. For the reasons discussed below, I do not think that a reasonable prosecutor would bring this case based on the evidence before the Committee. Nor do I believe that this evidence is sufficient to satisfy the preponderance-of-the-evidence standard &#8230; Dr. Ford has not offered a consistent account of when the alleged assault happened &#8230; Dr. Ford has struggled to identify Judge Kavanaugh as the assailant by name &#8230; Dr. Ford has no memory of key details of the night in question&#8212;details that could help corroborate her account &#8230; Dr. Ford&#8217;s account of the alleged assault has not been corroborated by anyone she identified as having attended&#8212;including her lifelong friend.
</blockquote>
In her taped message for Sports Illustrated, Blasey Ford stated:
<blockquote>
Good evening. I am honored to speak with you from afar about a woman I admire so much, a woman who suffered abuse as a vulnerable teenaged athlete who found the courage to talk publicly to stop the abuse of others. Her courage inspired other survivors to end their silence, and we all know the result. Rachel Denhollander, I am in awe of you, and I will always be inspired by you. In stepping forward, you took a huge risk and you galvanized future generations to come forward even when the odds are seemingly stacked against them. The lasting lesson is that we all have the power to create real change and we cannot allow ourselves to be defined by the acts of others. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome this year&#8217;s Sports Illustrated Inspiration of the Year, Rachel Denhollander.
</blockquote>
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In her first public statement since September, Dr. Christine Blasey Ford presents Sports Illustrated&#8217;s Inspiration of the Year Award to Rachael Denhollander <a href="https://t.co/2lBOB9nVDk">https://t.co/2lBOB9nVDk</a> <a href="https://t.co/AjRYVYfOmS">pic.twitter.com/AjRYVYfOmS</a>
&#8212; Sports Illustrated (@SInow) <a href="https://twitter.com/SInow/status/1072712416872488960?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Sports Illustrated explained:
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Denhollander <a href="https://www.si.com/olympics/2018/03/22/usa-gymnastics-lawsuit-larry-nassar">filed</a> a federal lawsuit against Nassar at the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan. Two-hundred and fifty-one other former gymnasts, along with 23 husbands of gymnasts, also brought up claims consolidated into her suit. Following Denhollander&#8217;s lead, more than 300 women in total have said they were sexually assaulted by Nassar.
Nassar was <a href="https://www.si.com/olympics/2018/07/25/larry-nassar-sex-abuse-convictions-appeal">sentenced</a> up to 175 years on Michigan state charges of sexual assault, in addition to a sentence of 40 to 125 years in prison on three counts of sexual assault. He also was given a 60-year sentence on federal child-pornography charges.
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Denhollander was the last witness to offer a victim statement at the hearing for Nasser; a powerful, 36 minute-speech in which she stated, &#8220;I ask, how much is a little girl worth? How much priority should be placed on communicating that the fullest weight of the law will be used to protect another innocent child from the soul shattering devastation that sexual assault brings? I submit to you that these children are worth everything. Worth every protection the law can offer. Worth the maximum sentence.&#8221;
Her speech in its entirety can be seen below:
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