Veronica Fraley, an Olympian and discus thrower from Vanderbilt, shared on social media her struggle to pay rent, prompting hip-hop legend Flavor Flav and entrepreneur Alexis Ohanian to step in and offer financial assistance. After Fraley’s plea for help on social media, Flavor Flav responded with a promise to assist, while Ohanian, known for co-founding Reddit and being married to tennis star Serena Williams, followed suit by contributing $7,760.00 to cover Fraley’s rent.
In her social media post, Fraley expressed frustration that her school aided only 75% of her rent, contrasting the support given to football players with her own situation despite her athletic achievements. Fraley, who clinched the NCAA discus title, set a school record, and secured a place on Team USA at U.S. Olympic track trials, emphasized the disparities in financial support for collegiate athletes. She also created a GoFundMe page to assist with her rent, which has garnered $12,041 towards a $20,000 goal.
Expressing gratitude to Flavor Flav and Alexis Ohanian for their assistance, Fraley acknowledged the impact their support had on her ability to represent Team USA effectively. Flavor Flav expressed his excitement for Fraley’s upcoming competitions and offered his encouragement. Fraley clarified in a subsequent post that her criticism was not directed towards Vanderbilt but rather towards the restrictions that prevent her from earning what she believes she deserves as a collegiate athlete.
Flavor Flav, presently in Paris fulfilling his role as the official hype man for USA Water Polo, built a connection with U.S. water polo captain Maggie Steffens in May through Instagram. Fraley, appreciative of the outreach and support she received, emphasized the importance of valuing performance over popularity in collegiate athletics.
