.....What changed inside Kelly Catlin’s mind and heart about the Olympic dream? It’s a question that Mark and Carolyn will likely ponder for the rest of their lives, and there are unfortunately no clear answers. Kelly was often isolated at Stanford, and she left her support structure behind to pursue her degree. Her competition schedule meant she often missed class, and had to make sacrifices in both her academic and intellectual pursuits.
“She was constantly having to be the cyclist and the student,” Carolyn Emory said. “It wasn’t easy. Her coach had to be her proctor for her exam at a race in Germany.”
Mark Catlin has attributed Kelly’s death to several factors, among them repeated head injuries suffered during training crashes, and physical and mental exhaustion from overtraining. He also believes Kelly’s intense drive for perfection in school and sports contributed to her suicide. When injuries kept her from achieving her best, she saw suicide as the only way out, he said......
Bethany`s Notes: It`s been 2 years since the suicide of Kelly Catlin (silver medalist in Rio). See how her parents are coping and the changes that are happening.
.....What changed inside Kelly Catlin’s mind and heart about the Olympic dream? It’s a question that Mark and Carolyn will likely ponder for the rest of their lives, and there are unfortunately no clear answers. Kelly was often isolated at Stanford, and she left her support structure behind to pursue her degree. Her competition schedule meant she often missed class, and had to make sacrifices in both her academic and intellectual pursuits.