Having moved far from home to train for the Olympics, Gabby Douglas told her mother when she was 15 years old that she was ready to throw in the towel, move home, and “get a job at Chick-Fil-A.”
Douglas texted her mother, “gymnastics is not my passion anymore,” according to the New York Daily News.
In her new memoir, Grace, Gold & Glory: My Leap of Faith, Douglas reveals that she just wanted to be a normal teen. She had moved away from her Virginia Beach home at the age of 14 to train in Des Moines, Iowa with renowned gymnast trainer Liang Chow.
Only after a talk with older brother John did Douglas decide to keep training in Iowa.
Along with homesickness, Douglas discusses the painful absence of her father and the racism she faced during her time training in Virginia Beach. She noted that her father, Air Force Staff Sgt. Timothy Douglas, was not as supportive as he portrayed to the media which caused resentment.
Douglas also discusses being a victim of racial bullying from past teammates and even coaches. She claimed she was told in front of teammates that she needed a nose job by one of her coaches.
Gabby Douglas’ memoir Grace, Gold & Glory: My Leap of Faith is set to be released tomorrow, December 4th.
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