Former Olympic Gymnast McKayla Maroney Returns to Social Media After Over a Year Hiatus
Over a year after leaving Twitter — and two years after taking a break from Instagram — former Olympic gymnast McKayla Maroney returned to the former social media platform, first with a photo post in August, and then again with two posts earlier this week.
Sharing a set of photos of herself in purple hot pants while posing next to a card, the 23-year-old wrote, “Caring less, doing more.”
Earlier on Tuesday, the athlete wrote, “Hold on tightly to what ur grateful for.”
hold on tightly to what ur grateful for
— mckayla (@McKaylaMaroney) September 25, 2019
Maroney posted her first tweet in over a year earlier in the summer, sharing another carside selfie on Aug. 8 and writing, “I don’t ever think twice when it feels right.” The athlete hasn’t posted on her Instagram since Sept. 2017.
i don't ever think twice when it feels right pic.twitter.com/KpaB6T8tJd
— mckayla (@McKaylaMaroney) August 8, 2019
Both extended breaks predated the death of her father earlier this year — though Maroney tweeted, then deleted, the news of his death at the time.
In January, Maroney wrote, “Love u dad. I can’t believe it’s real. I don’t want to. I’ll miss you forever. Rest in peace. You were the most incredible dad.”
Her brother Kav also posted about the loss on his own Instagram.
“Dad you taught me everything from how to walk to how to be a man and for that I thank you,” he wrote alongside a group shot that also included Maroney. “Thank you for getting up at 4:30am for work and not coming home till 7 pm every day for more than 20 years just to keep food on the table, and for us to have a great life. I’m the man of the house now and I promise to hold everything down. I promise.”
RELATED VIDEO: McKayla Maroney Alleges USA Gymnastics Tried to Silence Her Abuse Story
Maroney competed in the 2012 Summer Olympics, where she won a gold medal in the team event and an individual silver medal in the vault event. The former athlete is among the many gymnasts to accuse former USA Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar of sexual abuse.
Maroney spoke out in a lengthy 2017 Twitter post, writing, “I was molested by Dr. Larry Nassar, the team doctor for the US Women’s National Gymnastics Team, and Olympic team. It started when I was 13 years old, at one of my first National Team training camps, in Texas, and didn’t end until I left the sport.”
She wrote at the end that she “hoped” by speaking out she could help put an end to sexual abuse.
