An American skier who harboured suicidal thoughts after the last Winter Olympics was celebrating tonight after winning a silver medal at the 2018 games.
After climbing onto the podium to claim a bronze in Russia, slopestyle skier Nick Goepper descended into depression and began heavily boozing.
Nick, 33, was supported by his loving family as he entered rehab in Texas and began his recovery which ended in smiles and hugs as he won his silver medal.
He confessed: ‘That summer of 2014, I really experienced this, like, emotional distress. And it really just started to slide emotionally.
Nick Goepper hasn’t had booze since 2015 and thanks his mother Linda and family for the love and support which helped pick him up
‘There came a point where I was drinking every day, and I was constantly thinking about ways to end my own life.
‘I was, like, flirting, with that idea. I wasn’t ballsy or committed enough to actually do it. It was like a really messed up way of saying help me, but without saying it to a friend or a family member.’
He hasn’t had booze since 2015 and thanks his mother Linda and family for the love and support which helped pick him up.
‘I’m confident with myself, in my person and also my support group, my family, my friends and my girlfriend. I think I’ve diversified myself more as a person and I’m able to cope with stressors a little bit more healthily.’
Talking about his silver medal success, he said: ‘ I really had to dig deep. I was visualising myself landing on the last jump, arms open just screaming, and it all came to fruition.’
It’s very important to be authentic and true to yourself. A great example is my teammate Gus Kenworthy. It also really helps with the healing process, just talking about that stuff, making it known.
‘I guess it is a little bit different for me (than others) with the spotlight.
‘I had no plan after Sochi, I was just partying a lot with my friends, kind of flying into this void. Three weeks after the Olympics I was like ‘what am I doing?
‘Drinking was a symptom of the problem and unfortunately that symptom got pretty bad at one point. But I was able to go to a treatment centre and figure myself out. I haven’t had a drink in two-and-a-half years.
‘But I am proud of myself, proud of my team.’
Gold was won by Norway’s Oystein Braaten and bronze went to Canadian Alex Marchand-Beaulieu.