“What Made Maddy Run? The Secret Struggles and Tragic Death of an All American Teen” By Kate Fagan

When my friend Page recommends a book I don’t even waste a moment contemplating the selection. I just add it to my library list of books and audios. She is an excellent judge of a good book, and she knows what I look for in a non-fiction read: intensity. “What Made Maddy Run?” is the story of how a University of Pennsylvania freshman athlete took her own life. However, to water down the narrative to just once sentence is not giving the book its justice. “What Made Maddy Run?” is the story of not only Madison Holleran, but also the shared stories of her family, her friends and her coaches. Kate Fagan, a commentator and columnist for ESPN originally published Maddy’s story as a magazine article. The piece touched so many people’s lives, including Fagan’s own, that she decided to turn it into a book. The Holleran family agreed to let Fagan interview them and then they went a step further: They gave her Maddy’s computer, which included her i-messages, emails and personal writing. It was as if Fagan was getting a direct link into Maddy’s mind, which included her hopes as well as fears. There is a moment when Fagan even discovers some video of Maddy that is chilling and heartbreaking. The popular, beautiful track star seemed to have a charmed life through high school and had finally achieved her dream of becoming a college athlete at an Ivy League School. For Maddy, however, college was shrouded in an unexpected, constant period of heavy depression, which she was challenged to fix or solve. After publishing this book, Fagan began to hear from college athletes across the country who shared their own struggles with mental illness. By bringing the issue into the media, Fagan has started a dialogue in which Universities are now exploring better ways to support college athletes through clinical services. To purchase this book on Amazon click here.