Retired soccer star Lauren Holiday is speaking out about being diagnosed with a brain tumor last year, while six months pregnant with her first child.
The 29-year-old athlete and two-time U.S. Olympic gold medalist was told she must wait to have surgery until after the birth of the her and her husband’s – NBA player Jrue Holiday – daughter.
Jrue, who plays for the New Orleans Pelicans, took the last NBA season off to take care of his family.
Now, the couple’s daughter, Jrue Tyer, is five months old, and the cancer has been successfully removed.
“I have never quite known suffering like I experienced the last 6 months,” Lauren shared with fans on Instagram over the weekend along with a photo of their daughter (below). “I can remember countless nights repeating ‘there may be pain in the night but joy comes in the morning.’ I remember half believing it and half still in disbelief that this was my life.”
“I memorized scripture and some days my faith felt unshakable and others I was scared to death,” she added. “Every time I see this smile, I’m reminded that joy does come in the morning. Maybe not the next day, maybe not even the next month but it comes. I can’t imagine what heaven will be like if this is the joy I get to experience on earth. Psalm 30:5.”
