Mary Abigail Wambach (soccer player) a.k.a. Abby Wambach

Best known for:

• 2003-2015 United States Women’s National Soccer Team (USWNT) – forward
• 2012 FIFA World Player of the Year – forward
• 2003, 2007, 2011, 20015 FIFA Women’s World Cup – forward
• 2004, 2008, 2012 Summer Olympics – forward
• 2 times Olympic Gold Medalist
• Forward: A Memoir autobiography – author

In an interview with the Associated Press, she comes forward about her addictions.  For years and while playing soccer, she struggled with prescription drug and alcohol   Her alcohol of choice was Vodka and her prescription pill abuse included Vicodin, Ambien, and Adderall.

She hit her rock bottom when she was arrested for driving under the influence after running a red light in April of 2016 in Portland, Oregon.  She pleaded guilty and was ordered to enter a diversion program that included treatment.

“That night getting arrested was on the best things that has ever happened to me.  Because if I didn’t get so publicly shamed and publicly humiliated, I don’t think I’d wake up.  That night I was humiliated enough to wake up.”  -Abby Wambach

She issued a public a apology on Facebook the next day.

She has been sober since then.

featured image by the original uploader Beefalo at English Wikipedia – Transferred to Commons., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2192605