Abby Wambach Interview on Substance Abuse Admission

that's how we know our soccer legend abby wambach celebrated the u.s. women's 2015 World Cup win and now the legend is here live Abby is a two-time Olympic gold medalist the leading professional goal scorer a man or woman of all time and now my friend she is opening up about her successes and setbacks in her powerful new memoir forward Abby I read this cover to cover this weekend it was not what I was expecting for a small good morning scroll was great to see you good morning yeah it's always a pleasure you look stunning thank you I could catch me at 901 I look a little different than 901 but the video that we just showed and that's how people know you you know confident and you're out there you read your book you just right off the bat and you're so open about the demons that you were going through that you had for as long as you can remember abused alcohol and prescription drugs tell people why that entered your life well I mean I think that there's a lot of reasons why you know I can't get into all those we don't have enough time here right Robin but I think for me the reason why I wrote this book is cuz I really want to help people I know that for me I was ashamed for it for a long time that's why I wasn't capable of getting help you know my family like they're a little bit stressed that I've like uncovered this news they were they're upset because I was in so much pain and they didn't really even know because I held it I kept it private for so long so this is like my call to people out there to not be ashamed of this to ask for help I think it could help people I really do I know it can help people and you really didn't intend to go there no and you said it was the DUI in April that really opened your eyes and you said you had to come clean you said it was one of the best things that ever happened to you yeah I mean I think for me whenever when I agreed to do this book this was not a part of the plan right I was gonna write this book about my soccer girl well I guess legacy and talk about that but once I got the DUI I was like this has got this has to be part of the story and now I have to actually really tell it and to be unashamed about something and to feel like you can actually help people through your story with whatever they may be going through I think it's a story that needs to be told and people want to know it's a tough question to ask you because you've been a friend for a long time will you ever under the influence at all during a game an important game of any sort the way that's a great question I think I'm so glad that you asked and the answer is a complete no this is something that happened obviously after games and during mostly off off periods like off seasons everyone but the chill Abbi the chill Abbi okay sure your Jim and I you write about that yeah look yeah absolutely and I think that for me you know I'm so glad that you asked that question because like abuse for years like the prescription stuff didn't happen too late in my career and alcohol has you know I've been drinking alcohol since I was 21 years old so that was something that kind of evolved over the time of my career you have a lot of love from your family you've got six siblings your teammates and one of them Alex Morgan has a little shout out for you no way yeah here it is hi ABS first of all I just want to say that I freaking miss seeing your face every single day and I miss my partner and crime on the field but most of all why I'm filming this is because I want to congratulate you on such a courageous book honestly I love you I'm so proud of you and I'm really happy for you you deserve it so enjoy this moment love you oh she goes from ABS like that and I got to tell you is it uh it is very brave you go there there and there's a theme that you go back to again and again and I want to a quote from you in your book you said if I play well my mother might forgive me for being Who I am that was a theme that you kept repeating what did you mean by that well I think that you know I came from a fairly conservative my family is Irish Catholic went to Catholic schools my whole life and you know being gay and then having some of these demons that that I felt like I had to turn numb away and and some of the pain that I had throughout my my career I was it was part of who I am and so I really you know this is kind of one of those things that being inside my own skin and being scared and being in pain I just really wanted to feel loved you know and I know my mom loves me God mom I love you so much you're the best I know my family loves me just sometimes for for really deep feeling people it's hard to actually feel that yeah and I love what they're after what are your your games and you were so down and she just hugged you you said I love you he said and I cried I remember I cried as hard as I've ever cried maybe in that moment we're very sorry to hear about your divorcing yeah Sarah I mean people remember the kiss I know that went viral like that and it's just one of those things we didn't know at the time right and then that you all were struggling you okay yeah yeah I mean Sarah and I we've had an amazing relationship I have nothing but love for her and that obviously that moment was so iconic and something that very very proud of and I know that this has not been an easy thing for her you know this whole struggle that I went through she saw firsthand she was literally on the front lines of this and was you know my biggest advocate my biggest champion and and was there for me in times when I didn't even know I could be there for myself so for me this is this is definitely really hard obviously going through any divorce is difficult but nothing but love for Sarah yeah and nothing but love for you respect thank you for sharing as you have and thank you for how you're fighting for pay equality and you guys need I mean here you are no one has scored more goals in you but bless you love you girl I love you back and forward you got to pick it up people it is out today you

Channel: Good Morning America

Views: 185,295

Rating: 4.7725425 out of 5

Keywords: Abby, Wambach, memoir, forward, drugs, alcohol, substance, abuse, soccer, player, US, women's, team, Abby Wambach Interview, Abby Wambach

Id: Kvm5oT0pEuY

Length: 6min 5sec (365 seconds)

Published: Tue Sep 13 2016