Megan Rapinoe I'm finally ready to talk about an emotional family tragedy.
The former footballer opened up about her grief over the death of her brother Michael in a new episode of her podcast and how it ultimately impacted her outlook on life, family and career.
Megan Rapinoe recently came under public criticism for her harsh attacks on the US men's hockey team and the way they celebrated their victory with President Donald Trump.
Megan Rapinoe opens up about the impact of losing loved ones.
On the June 11 episode of his "A Touch More" podcast, the football legend spoke about his older brother, Michael, who died last year after a years-long battle with drug and alcohol addiction.
Rapinoe spoke with her guest, former U.S. women's national soccer teammate Abby Wambach, about how difficult it was for her to return home after his death and how heartbreaking the loss was.
Their conversation soon shifted to a more general discussion of the impact their careers have had on their lives. Wambach, who lost her older brother, Peter G. Wambach Jr., in December 2023 to complications from a heart attack, spoke about Rapinoe's grief and how she balances her career with family life.
Her brother's struggle with drug addiction forced her to delve deeper into the issue of compulsive pressure and constantly seek out new emotions that she noticed in herself as a gambler.
After spending several months in the house after her brother's death, she said she realized she hadn't slowed down or been present in her life except for holidays or large family gatherings.
Wambach echoed that sentiment, saying that football has provided her with many opportunities, but it has also taken a toll on her, particularly in terms of maintaining close friendships and connecting with her life outside of sports.
The athlete spoke in detail about the difficulties her family faced due to her other brother's addiction.
While Rapinoe has never spoken publicly about Michael's death before, she has previously spoken openly about the impact her older brother Brian's drug addiction had on her family.
In her 2020 memoir, One Life, Rapinoe recalled the day her parents told the family that Brian had been arrested for meth possession and placed in juvenile detention.
As PEOPLE reports, she added that his problems continued into adulthood, leading to a subsequent arrest and jail time for car theft at 18, followed by a steady in-and-out period over the next two decades.
In a previous interview, Rapinoe emphasized that punishment was never the answer to his battle with addiction. She shared the opinion that Brian needed treatment and support, not imprisonment, as addiction had dug its claws into his life.
Despite the difficulties, Rapinoe continues to publicly express her love for her brother. After the US Women's World Cup victory in 2019, she sent him a congratulatory message after the game and publicly reminded him that he remains in her heart.
Megan Rapinoe's football career was greatly influenced by her older brother.
Before Rapinoe became a soccer star, her greatest influence wasn't a coach or teammate, but her older brother, Brian. Before packed stadiums and World Cups, Brian was the heart of Rapinoe and her twin sister, Rachel's, childhood.
PEOPLE noted that the soccer star and Rachel adopted Brian's habits, joined his adventures, and started playing soccer simply because he did it himself.
According to family members, it was Brian who first introduced the twins to the sport, as he would come to a field near their home and practice various maneuvers with them while they tried to imitate his moves.
It all started with admiration, then grew into passion, and finally, football became more than just a game, but an opportunity. But while the twins' lives were moving toward university sports and professional opportunities, Brian's path took a different direction.
However, as Brian's life became increasingly complicated by addiction, his place in the family, especially in the lives of his sisters, never faded. As the twins' football careers progressed, they also adopted their brother's influence.
The 40-year-old highlighted her family's support as she won the FIFA Women's Player of the Year award.
In 2019, the former American soccer player achieved a remarkable career success by becoming the FIFA Women's Soccer Player of the Year.
The award came after she led her team to another victory at the Women's World Cup in France, also winning the tournament's Golden Ball and Golden Boot.
As AS reports, in her touching Instagram post, she thanked her friends, family, loved ones, and teammates on the US Women's National Team for being part of her remarkable achievements.
She described 2019 as a phenomenal year, which left her excited for the year ahead. Rapinoe noted that she struggled to find the words to describe the moment, but she called it an unforgettable year and expressed gratitude to everyone who played a part in it.
The athlete won, beating out fellow finalists Alex Morgan and Lucy Bronze, and became only the second player from the US women's national team to win FIFA's highest individual award, following Carli Lloyd, who won it in 2016.
Megan Rapinoe criticized the US men's hockey team for the way they celebrated their victory.
In March, The Blast noted that Rapinoe drew sharp criticism after her controversial opinion about the US men's ice hockey team's post-Olympic victory celebration with Trump. In a March episode of her podcast, she questioned the team's decision to associate itself with the politician in any way after winning Olympic gold.
She argued that significant moments like Olympic victory should remain the focus of the athletes themselves, rather than being hijacked by political intrigue and unhealthy stereotypes. She suggested that the team had spent years working toward this goal, but the focus had become distracted from the achievement itself.
She also advised athletes to exercise caution when participating in political events, explaining that attending meetings with members of the public could be more beneficial as it would bring them attention.
Some of Rapinoe's criticism focused on the team's reaction during the event following the comments about the women's team. She questioned how female athletes could achieve anything in a place where women's achievements in the same sport seemed to be the subject of ridicule. She said:
«"Why don't you respect yourself more than you allow someone to, for no reason, deliver a crushing blow and a barb to women who have done exactly the same thing you have?"»
Let's hope Megan Rapinoe finds solace in telling the truth!
Read also: Megyn Kelly launches a personal attack against Megan Rapinoe after comments about a hockey team