Aly Raisman & 140 Survivors of Larry Nassar's Abuse Receive Courage Award at ESPYs 2018
Aly Raisman and 140 of Larry Nassar‘s victims join forces on the 2018 ESPYs stage.
Jennifer Garner presented the 24-year-old Olympic gymnast along with Jordyn Wieber and their fellow athletes with the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage at the event held at Microsoft Theater on Wednesday (July 18) in Los Angeles.
The young athletes have all shared their stories – even when they were silenced – about the horrifying sexual abuse they went through because of the disgraced USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University doctor, who has been sentenced to 175 years in prison.
They were given a standing ovation by the crowd.
“The ripple effect of our actions, or inactions, can be enormous, spanning generations,” Aly said. “Perhaps the greatest tragedy of this nightmare is that it could have been avoided. Whether you act or do nothing, you are shaping the world that we live in. Impacting others. All we needed was one adult to have the integrity to stand between us and Larry Nassar.”
“If just one adult had listened, believed, and acted, the people standing before you on this stage would have never have met him,” she continued, adding, “We may suffer alone, but we survive together.”
Watch below.
“To all the survivors out there, don't let anyone rewrite your story. Your truth does matter. You matter. And you are not alone.”
Tonight, Aly Raisman and her sister survivors brought the #ESPYS audience to their feet. pic.twitter.com/0sVTI0wLUH
— ESPYS (@ESPYS) July 19, 2018
FYI: Aly is wearing Irene Neuwirth jewelry. Jordyn is wearing Jovani.
25+ pictures inside of Aly Raisman and more at the event…