U.S. Olympian couldn’t pay her rent. Flavor Flav and Alexis Ohanian took care of it

As a seasoned movie buff and sports enthusiast with a soft spot for underdog stories, I find myself deeply moved by Veronica Fraley’s journey. Her grit, determination, and sheer talent on the discus field are evident; yet, it’s her unwavering spirit off the track that truly captivates me. In an era where athletes are often overshadowed by the politics of sports financing, Veronica has managed to rally a community around her cause, demonstrating the power of unity and empathy.

Veronica Fraley is scheduled to compete at the Paris Olympics for the first time Friday.

At the moment, it might be best to avoid any unnecessary interruptions – for instance, dealing with an overdue rent payment back in Nashville that I don’t currently have the resources to manage.

Luckily, hip-hop pioneer Flavor Flav, billionaire Alexis Ohanian and others have Fraley covered.

During her second year as a graduate student at Vanderbilt University, Fraley achieved the title of NCAA discus champion by setting a school record with a throw of 208 feet and 10 inches in Eugene, Oregon, in June. Later that same month, she was selected for the U.S. national team in the event following the Olympic trials.

But the day before her Olympic debut, Fraley had something else on her mind.

“I compete in the Olympic Games TOMORROW and can’t even pay my rent,” Fraley wrote Thursday on X before adding that “my school only sent about 75% of my rent while they pay football players (who haven’t won anything) enough to buy new cars and houses.”

In a later post, Fraley explained that his frustration isn’t primarily directed at the school, but rather the rules which prevent him from earning a fair compensation as a collegiate athlete. He noted that name, image, and likeness deals tend to prioritize popularity over performance, and that was the extent of his comments.

Flav is currently in Paris, serving as the official hype man for the U.S. water polo teams. Not only has he committed to financially supporting the women’s water polo team, but it seems that his backing extends beyond just one sport. Upon seeing Fraley’s initial post, Flav offered his assistance as well.

“Flav assured me, ‘Don’t fret about it, I’ve got this covered. Message me right away, and I’ll transfer the payment today itself so you can relax. I’ll also be cheering for you tomorrow! Let’s do this!'”

Alexis Ohanian, the co-founder of Reddit who’s wed to tennis legend Serena Williams (four-time Olympic gold medalist), additionally chimed in on Fraley’s post, proposing to share Fraley’s rent costs with Flav.

Turns out, I did more than just donate. I took it a step further and shared a snapshot of the transaction – a tribute to my tech company Seven Seven Six, as the amount I transferred was $7,760.

Fraley additionally established a digital fundraising campaign to aid my track and field adventure, helping me kick off my pro athletic path while continuing to embody Team USA!

A little while later, Flav assured X that Fraley could relax about paying rent for a few upcoming months.

“He expressed, ‘The influence of a community is profound.’ Originally, his partner @vmfraley’s tweet was viewed by 7,000 individuals, yet only 41 liked it, 5 left comments, and just 1 tagged both him and @alexisohanian. Now, that same tweet has been seen by a staggering 10 million people, her rent for the year is covered, and she’s received overwhelming support!”

Ohanian added: “Now she can focus on getting that hardware!”

That’s what Fraley intends to do.

“This means everything in the world to me,” she wrote to Ohanian and Flav, “and I aim to make Team USA proud this week.”

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2024-08-04 18:04