Keyon Dooling is a consummate professional. He played a supporting role for the NBA's Boston Celtics last year, helping them to reach the Eastern Conference Finals before they ultimately fell to the Miami Heat. He played hounding defense, was a leader in the locker room, and never shied away from talking to the media. He was also VP of the NBA Players Association.
Before retiring from the NBA, Keyon started having hallucinations and then eventually, a mental breakdown. This led to a week-long stay in a mental institution, and he and his wife are currently going through therapy. See, Dooling had some secrets that no one, not even his long-time wife, had ever suspected. Keyon was molested on multiple occasions as a child, and had lived alone with those demons until now. He's speaking out because he wants to help others in similar situations, and is hoping that something good can come from all of this.
I can't even imagine the incredible amount of courage it must have taken for Dooling to come out and speak openly about his past like this, and the abuse done to him. Hopefully this opens doors for not only more athletes that have been wronged or abused in their pasts, but for other such individuals anywhere as well.
Check out the videos below of him on the Katie Couric show, and you'll see the struggles he has been through and the obstacles he's overcome in his life. It's truly quite touching. Currently, Keyon is back with the Celtics as their player development coordinator, which he hopes can eventually lead to a coaching job down the line. Here's to wishing him the best of luck and a bright future.
[H/T: SB Nation]
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