HEALTH & WELLNESS
depression hasmanyfaces
AUTHOR KATE FAGAN IS MAKING SURE MADISON HOLLERAN ’ S STORY STAYS RELEVANT WRITTEN BY DARREN COOPER
Kate Fagan never thought she ’ dbeperceived as the leading authorityonathletes dealing with anxiety and depression issues , but she ’ s willing to carry the burden .
“ It ’ s not aplace Iever thoughtI would find myself ,” says Fagan , awriter and contributor for ESPN . “ I think over the nextfew years this is something we are going to talk about in the sports world more and more , fromthe Olympic and professional levelall the way down to the idea of sportspecialization at the age of 12 .”
Fagan is the author of The New York Times bestseller What Made Maddy Run , aninsightful and detailedlook at the lifeand deathofformer Northern Highlands star athlete Madison Holleran , who diedbysuicide midway through her freshmanyear at the University of Pennsylvania in 2014 .
The story of Holleranstill resonates in the North Jersey athletics community . With her championshipbackground in two sports and faultless reputation , Holleran was ashining star and her death exposed many — for the first time — to the pressures faced by young athletes , compounded by theuse of social media . Fagan attributes manyfactors to why Madison ’ s story captured so many . First , she pointsout Holleran ’ s idyllic family upbringing , surrounded by loving friends , and how we as individuals feel like we can tell when someone else is struggling .
The book is also deeplypersonalas Fagan chronicles her own issues as a college basketball player dealing with her physical and mental failures .
Mental health issues in college athletics is again amajor topic with therecent death of Washington State quarterback
IT ’ S TIME TO TALK Author Kate Fagan speaks to students at Ramsey High School about her book , What Made Maddy Run .
Tyler Hilinski , who reportedly shot himself with arifleJan . 16 . Fagan says when she hears Hilinski ’ s story , she doesn ’ t automatically flash backjust to Madison , but many of the other studentathletes she has encountered .
After the book was published , Fagan was sought out by numerous college athletic departments to explain what she learned . She says it ’ s not unusual for aschool to grant her an audience
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MITSU YASUKAWA
8 SPRING 2018 | ( 201 ) FAMILY