Olympian's Rent Helped by Celebrities
- Veronica Fraley, an Olympian, faced rent struggles before her track and field event.
- Her post caught the attention of Flavor Flav and Alexis Ohanian who paid her rent for a year.
- The kind gesture supported Fraley during her athletic pursuits.
Veronica Fraley, a 24-year-old discus thrower representing Team USA, took to social media to express her financial difficulties just before competing in the Olympic Games in Paris. In a post on X, she revealed, “I compete in the Olympic Games TOMORROW and can’t even pay my rent.” Fraley, the 2024 NCAA discus champion, highlighted the broader issue of financial strain faced by many Olympians, who often juggle multiple jobs to sustain their athletic careers. In response to Fraley's situation, Flavor Flav and venture capitalist Alexis Ohanian stepped in to provide financial assistance. Flav confirmed that he paid Fraley's rent in full, while Ohanian committed to covering her rent for the remainder of 2024. Fraley expressed her gratitude in a follow-up post, stating, “this makes every difference in the WORLD & I hope to represent Team USA well this week.” She also shared a GoFundMe campaign to garner additional support from the public. Vanderbilt University, where Fraley is pursuing a master’s degree, stated that it provides maximum financial aid within NCAA regulations and assists student-athletes in navigating name, image, and likeness (NIL) opportunities. The university commended Fraley for her athletic achievements and academic pursuits, emphasizing its commitment to supporting student-athletes. The actions of Flav and Ohanian reflect a growing awareness of the financial challenges faced by female athletes, with Ohanian previously advocating for women’s sports through investments and events aimed at promoting gender equity in athletics.