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Athlete Veronica Fraley went viral this week after revealing that she couldn’t afford to pay her rent ahead of her Olympic debut.
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Veronica, 24, is a Team USA track and field star and two-time World Championship qualifier in women’s discus.
Christian Petersen / Getty Images
On Thursday, she wrote on X, formerly Twitter:“I compete in the Olympic Games TOMORROW and can’t even pay my rent 😒 my school only sent about 75% of my rent while they pay football players (who haven’t won anything 😂) enough to buy new cars and houses.”
I compete in the Olympic Games TOMORROW and can’t even pay my rent 😒 my school only sent about 75% of my rent while they pay football players (who haven’t won anything 😂) enough to buy new cars and houses 👎🏾👎🏾👎🏾
— Veronica™⚓️ (@vmfraley) August 1, 2024
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Veronica, who received floods of support from social media users, went on to share a GoFundMe link for those who wanted to help her out.
“If at all interested in helping a 2024 Paris Olympian and 2x World Championship qualifier in women’s discus, use this link! After Paris, I am aiming for the 2025 World Championships and 2028 Olympics next as I begin my professional track and field career!” she wrote. Her GoFundMe has currently raised over $12,000.
Andrej Isakovic / AFP via Getty Images
The athlete later followed up, “Thanks for the supporting messages but I want to clarify my irritation isn’t with the school itself, mainly the rules that bar me from making the amount I’m WORTH as a collegiate athlete such as NIL which favors popularity over performance. that’s all I’m sayin. Wish me luck tm!”
Before long, rapper Flavor Flav — who sponsors the US women’s water polo team — revealed that he would cover Veronica’s rent.
Jesse Grant / Getty Images for iHeartRadio
Flav has faced controversy numerous times over the years; he spenta month in jail in 1991 for assaulting his girlfriend at the time, and more recently, in 2021, hepleaded no contestto a misdemeanor coercion charge from "grabbing a phone" during an incident witha female member of his household.
“I gotchu,,, DM me and I’ll send payment TODAY so you don’t have to worry bout it TOMORROW,,, and imma be rooting for ya tomorrow LETZ GO,!!!” he tweeted.
I gotchu,,, DM me and I’ll send payment TODAY so you don’t have to worry bout it TOMORROW,,, and imma be rooting for ya tomorrow LETZ GO,!!!
— FLAVOR FLAV (@FlavorFlav) August 1, 2024
At the same time, Alexis Ohanian — aka Serena Williams’s husband — offered to help, too.
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“Got you! DM me your $cashtag,” Alexis wrote before adding that he’d gladly split the rent with Flav.
Got you! DM me your $cashtag https://t.co/X7byXz5oV7
— Alexis Ohanian 🇦🇲 (@alexisohanian) August 1, 2024
Alexis then shared in a separate tweet that he’d sent Veronica $7,760 — in line with the name of his tech company, Seven Seven Six. A source later told the Daily Beast that Flavor Flav paid Veronica’s rent in total, and Alexis’s payment was extra.
Update! It is done. pic.twitter.com/WEX18Gny60
— Alexis Ohanian 🇦🇲 (@alexisohanian) August 1, 2024
Needless to say, Veronica was absolutely thrilled by the sweet gesture from the celebrities. She wrote on X, “THANK YOU & @FlavorFlav SO MUCH 😭🥹 this makes every difference in the WORLD & I hope to represent team USA well this week 🇺🇸❤️.”
THANK YOU & @FlavorFlav SO MUCH 😭🥹 this makes every difference in the WORLD & I hope to represent team USA well this week 🇺🇸❤️ https://t.co/L1VzCJCjbm
— Veronica™⚓️ (@vmfraley) August 1, 2024
And social media users across the globe were just as touched. “Now this is putting your money where your mouth is. Thank you Alexis and Flavor Flav for stepping up and helping womens sports move forward,” one person posted.
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“Dude... you are awesome. Best thing I’ve seen on X in ages,” someone wrote in response to Alexis. “Serena married a great man who is her #1 fan and he is such an advocate for women! We love to see it!” said another.
"Flav is the hero we didn’t know we needed," read one viral post with over 18,000 likes. "Love how he continues to support women with his actions!!!" someone replied.
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