Bravey by Alexi Pappas

I have always been fascinated by Olympic athletes. In fact, I recently started following gymnast Nadia Comaneci on Instagram because she is still married to fellow gymnast Bart Connor and they are adorable. Most Olympic athletes who finally make it to the games have complicated stories of dedication, heartbreak, loss and triumph. Alexi Pappas is no exception. Born in 1990 in Berkeley, California, she lost her mother to suicide when she was just four years old. Her father was left to raise Alexi and her brother alone, and one of the activities he encouraged her to try was sports. She took an immediate liking to soccer, and track. Her school would not let girls play more than one sport, although they would let boys do that. Faced with making a choice, she at first pursued soccer over track. It was not until college at Dartmouth where she would uncover her love of running again. At Dartmouth she earned her undergraduate degree, and later attended the University of Oregon, where she earned her Master’s. With the absence of her mother, she looked toward female athletes as her role models. Running became her safe haven, as she struggled to face her mother’s past mental health issues, with her own emerging depression. Despite her struggles, she set her sights on running in the Olympics. Thanks to her father’s heritage, she was able to become a Greek Citizen, and represent Greece in the Summer 2016 Olympics, where she set the Greek national record for the 10K. When her Olympic career was over, she pursued her love of acting, writing and film. She and her husband, Jeremy Teicher have made several movies, including “Tracktown,” in which Pappas stars with comedian Rachel Dratch. Her memoir is inspiring, honest, and most of all brave. She coined the term “bravey” and defines it as living on her own terms and finding joy in her independence. To buy this book on Amazon click here.