U.S. Olympians have struggled with rent and food prices amid surging inflation this Olympic cycle. Now, a rapper has stepped up to help. U.S. discus thrower Veronica Fraley posted on X on Thursday that she can’t pay her rent ahead of her Olympic debut on Friday. “I compete in the Olympic Games TOMORROW and can’t even pay my rent,” she wrote. “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.”
Fraley even shared a link to a GoFundMe page she set up for herself. The page has currently raised $14,646 of her $20,000 goal.
This made me cry I adore King Swifties aka Flavor Flav even more now. This is how HUMANS should treat each other. Rapper Flavor Flav and Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian team up to help Olympian Veronica Fraley pay her rent https://t.co/NrXKmtcCdc via @nbcnews
— Rhonda (@RhondaDodson18) August 2, 2024
But it was hip-hop artist William Jonathan Drayton Jr., also known as Flavor Flav, who stepped up to help Fraley. Drayton responded to Fraley’s initial X post, saying that he would take care of her rent.
“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!” Drayton wrote.
Rapper Flavor Flav and Reddit founder Alexis Ohanian help to pay an Olympian’s rent – Veronica Fraley was this year’s NCAA discus champion, SEC Field Athlete of the Year and SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year. She also holds the Vanderbilt records for discu… https://t.co/4apEjH9xxE
— Olav Mitchell Underdal (@omunderdal) August 2, 2024
Drayton got the ball rolling for Fraley, as Reddit co-founder and entrepreneur Alexis Ohanian also pitched in. Ohanian, who is also the husband of tennis star Serena Williams, posted a receipt on X of a $7,760 transaction he sent to Fraley in response to the post.
Later on Thursday, Drayton sent a follow-up post claiming that Fraley’s rent has now been paid for the rest of the year.
“Now that tweet been seen by 10 MILLION people, her rent paid off for the year, and people gots her back!” Drayton wrote.
Fraley is just one example of an Olympic athlete who has struggled with basic living expenses this year.
Fox News Digital previously reported that multiple U.S. Olympians, including Fraley’s track and field teammates Fred Kerley, Tara Davis-Woodhall, and Kenny Bednarek, have all spoken out against the impact that inflation has had on them and on their teammates’ ability to focus on their sport.
Vanderbilt’s discus thrower and Olympian Veronica Fraley lamented on social media she needed help with rent.
Rapper Flavor Flav and entrepreneur Alexis Ohanian decided to help. https://t.co/I6I48gQ5x3
— NBC New York (@NBCNewYork) August 2, 2024
“It’s f—ed! It’s as simple as that, it’s f—ed,” silver medalist sprinter Fred Kerley, 29, said to reporters at the USATF Grand Prix on June 8. “I feel like if I was from a different country I’d be living like a king. But living in America, you know how the world and America work at home, a lot of us struggling day in to day out.”
Fraley isn’t the first U.S. athlete that Drayton has stepped up to help. He has also said he is a dedicated sponsor of the women’s water polo team, and his contributions include a Virgin Voyage cruise as well as a $1,000 bonus, during an interview on “CBS Mornings” in early July.
Key Points:
i. Financial Struggles of U.S. Olympians: U.S. Olympians, including discus thrower Veronica Fraley, have been facing financial difficulties due to rising inflation, affecting their ability to pay for basic living expenses.
ii. Veronica Fraley’s Plea for Help: Fraley, set to debut in the Olympics, posted on social media about her inability to pay rent, highlighting the disparity in financial support compared to football players.
iii. Flavor Flav’s Generous Offer: Hip-hop artist Flavor Flav responded to Fraley’s post, offering to cover her rent, and later confirmed her rent was paid for the rest of the year, garnering support from others, including Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian.
iv. Broader Impact on Athletes: Other U.S. Olympians, such as sprinter Fred Kerley, have also voiced concerns about financial struggles due to inflation, emphasizing the challenges athletes face in focusing on their sport.
v. Flavor Flav’s Ongoing Support: Flavor Flav has a history of supporting U.S. athletes, including sponsorship of the women’s water polo team, demonstrating his commitment to helping Olympians in need.
Fallon Jacobson – Reprinted with permission of Whatfinger News
