Great sadness in US athletics. Long-distance runner Sarah Shulze is dead. Broken from the pressure, she committed suicide. At only 21 years old.
As the New York Post reports, she took her own life on April 13. “The balancing act between sport, studies and the demands of everyday life overwhelmed her in a single, desperate moment,” says the von Shulze family.
“Power for good in the world”
A tragic end. “We are shocked and mourn, but at the same time we hold tight to what Sarah was.”
And she was a lot, as the family writes in moving words. “Sarah was above all a force for good in the world. Her deepest sympathy was evident in the devotion to her sisters Abbey and Ella, the love she showed her parents every day and the special care she took.”
The University of Wisconsin, where Shulze studied and was part of the track and field team, wrote in its statement: “Beloved daughter, sister, granddaughter. Friend, teammate and student athlete. We extend our deepest sympathy and sincere condolences to Sarah’s family, friends and colleagues at this extraordinarily difficult time.”
The Sarah Shulze Foundation was established in her name. Aiming to promote and support women’s rights, physical education students and mental health. (sme)
Find help here
These offices are available around the clock for people in suicidal crises and for those around them:
Addresses for people who have lost someone through suicide
These offices are available around the clock for people in suicidal crises and for those around them:
Addresses for people who have lost someone through suicide