After Abby Wambach was pulled over and arrested for driving under the influence of intoxicants in Portland, Oregon on April 2, 2016, she took full responsibility for her actions.
In a recent interview, Wambach admitted to abusing alcohol and prescription drugs during her soccer career.
“Getting arrested was one of the best things that has ever happened to me,” Wambach told the Associated Press. “Because if I don’t get so publicly shamed and publicly humiliated, I don’t think I wake up. I think I was asleep for a lot of years. Asleep to the pleas from my family and friends, and even myself, to get help. So that night I was humiliated enough to wake up.”
Responses to Wambach's arrest varied. Many fans were sad, and Alejandro Bedoya and Jozy Altidore mocked and laughed about the incident on Twitter. The responses to her revelations in the AP interview have been a lot more positive and supportive.
A little background: every American should love and thank Wambach for her years of USWNT service, helping the USA become World Cup champions in her final international tournament. Wambach appeared in four World Cups, owns a pair of Olympic gold medals and is international soccer's all-time lead goal-scorer.
Hopefully you love her as much as I do, which is why we're all pulling for her to put her substance abuse issues behind her.
