It was painful.
18 years had passed before he saw her again.
He said, “We got in our family car. Drove to downtown Louisville, KY. Walked into a building we’ve never been to before.”
Reese Hoffa, along with his brother were playing in one room, while Diana was filling out paperwork in the other.
Everything seemed normal until him and his brother were separated.
Confused, he turned to his mother only to see her leave the place.
“Orphan,” a term that became a part of Reese’s identity.
His time at the orphanage included both sides of the spectrum. There were days when he was fed and cared for, and there were days when he was physically abused.
St. Thomas - St. Vincent orphanage, a place that taught Reese the unspoken lessons in life.
St. Thomas - St. Vincent orphanage, a place that’s with him everywhere he goes, including the Olympics.
In third grade, he threw his first shot.
In high school, he became a state champion.
In 2012, Reese won his first Olympic Games bronze medal.
A man who found ways to turn his dream into a reality.
A man who has finished in the top five at the USA Outdoor Championships for nine consecutive years.
I asked, “Do you have any advice for those who are thinking about going after their dreams?”
He said, “If you go after your dreams, you must believe in yourself and don't put ‘impossible’ on a pedestal.”
EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:
On living in the orphanage: Don’t be afraid
On adoption: You should be given a choice to say, “No”
On language: Only say it, if you mean it
On finding birth family: Do it while you can
On success: Stay hungry