The tragic event that changed Lolo Jones' life forever

The life of American athlete Lolo Jones has been filled with thrilling athletic achievements, such as becoming a world champion in two separate disciplines. However, she has endured many hardships throughout her life as described in her autobiography.

Lori Susan Jones, mostly known as Lolo Jones, was born in Des Moines, Iowa, on August 5, 1982. She was born into a humble family that due to financial difficulties, they would seek help from the church.

Lolo Jones was never quick to surrender and would display a competitive attitude during her childhood years.

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Despite her tight financial situation, Jones was able to attend school and graduate with athletic honors.

In the field of athletics, she has been one of the most successful athletes of recent times in hurdles.

Jones has two gold medals in the 60-meter hurdles race that she won at the World Indoor Championships in Valencia 2008 and Doha 2010.

In 2023, no less than 40 years old, she broke the world record for the 60-meter hurdle race. She registered 8:35, passing Monica Pellegrinelli's 8:38 previous record.

However, her athletic success was not just limited to hurdles. She is also great at bobsleigh and has also won two World Championship gold medals in 2013 and 2021.

Lolo Jones can boast of having participated in three Olympic events throughout her entire career: two summer events in Beijing 2008 and London 2012, in which she placed seventh and fourth, respectively; and another in winter, finishing tenth in the double bobsleigh event.

Lolo Jones didn't have the easiest of upbringings, and she mentions in her book how hard it was at times with her father, who was a veteran of the Korean War. Her father had a serious drinking problem and would spend time in and out of prison.

Nevertheless, her complicated relationship with her father didn't cause any rejection on her part, but quite the opposite. In her biography 'Over It', she highlights how her father made her a brave person, ready to fight against any adversity.

The death of her father in 2021 was a big drama for Lolo Jones, giving way to multiple depressive episodes. She was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress, according to a post on social media.

To make matters worse, the American athlete failed to form part of the American bobsleigh team and missed out on the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.

"This was the last time I left my house. And honestly, the last time I smiled, 2022 has been one of the hardest years of my life. Sometimes I don't leave my house for days because I'm so depressed," she wrote in a social media post.

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To top it all off, Lolo Jones has reported multiple encounters with stalkers near her home. According to the American athlete, there are "three different male harassers" who have made her life very miserable at home.

"In the last year, I have had three different male stalkers. Three times where guys crossed the line, they have endangered my safety and the safety of my friends and disrupted my life," she explained on Instagram.

"A guy broke into the Olympic training center and stayed the night hoping to find me. Another guy kept harassing my friends in an attempt to contact me. And finally, a guy stalked my house and told to the Police he knew me from Instagram and I invited him to live with me," she added.

In her biography, Lolo Jones opens up on other personal dramas she has faced throughout the years, such as overshopping and thieving.

But Lolo Jones is much more than an athlete, she has become a superstar across the United States after being involved in big sporting events and big reality shows on television.

In 2014, she was part of the cast of the film 'Left Behind', starring Nicolas Cage, in which Lolo Jones played a flight attendant.

Lolo Jones also participated in 'The Challenge: Champs vs. Pros', a reality TV show aired on MTV, where she appeared alongside another nine American professional athletes for a charity event.

She also participated in the 'Celebrity Big Brother' TV show in 2019, where she reached the finals.

What makes Lolo Jones a very trendy topic on social platforms is her apparent vow of chastity, something she has always shared and continues to champion in her 40s.

It was in 2012 when the athlete assured that she had made a vow of chastity and that she was going to maintain her virginity until marriage, a topic that she brought up again while preparing for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, ensuring that it was something that puts her in a disadvantage.

"Having relationships really helps you as an athlete, a female athlete. It's good for your hormones... so I'm running at a disadvantage," she explained on 'Cold as Balls' to actor Kevin Hart, while adding that, "going public killed my dating. Now I don't even get a chance."

With more than 560,000 followers on her Instagram account, Lolo Jones continues to show her athletic strengths to the world, while building her celebrity portfolio on American TV.

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