CliffordK

Undoubtedly things have changed a lot in the last 30 years, both for male and female athletes.

It is quite possible that Rebecca Twigg didn't choose to endorse products that she did not use (somewhat like her choice not to ride her sponsor's superbike).

Doing a serious ad campaign would have been a serious drain on her.

I have to think that she would have made a lot more money without the helmets than with the helmets.



Nonetheless, doing so would have been a serious life choice for her. And, it is quite possible that it would have made issues for her racing and other sponsorships.

Keep in mind that Rebecca Twigg would have been more or less contemporary with Vanessa Williams, who was stripped of her Miss America title for improprieties.

So, opening one door may either open others, or close others.

Feldman

I have to wonder, since Ms. Twigg did a lot of track and criterium racing with probably a few falls on her head--it is not just American football that causes head injuries. There's no such thing as a minor head strike, according to many in medicine. We also live in a stone-age society regarding any mental illness--I have had a couple of broken bones and minor cancer and heart situations and nobody will tell. you that those conditions are manageable with positive thinking!

repechage

In another article from quite a while ago it documented a concussion. It did not describe the severity, nor rehab.

My personal hunch is there is an awareness of needing help, but a unwillingness to obtain support while others she sees and interacts on a daily basis will get overlooked. Magnanimous.
Albeit a bit lacking foresight. I will not argue that there are others she observes every day that are of equal or greater need. If she had a stable living situation it would be easier to help others. With the long view in focus.

Duragrouch

Exactly. That's why I'm trying to pay it forward as noted above. If I am able to contact her, I'll try to remember to make that point.

Oatsandhoney

Would be interested to hear more about her daughter and her opinions.

RobbieTunes

Morbid curiosity?

The Golden Boy 

If you look at a lot of people that would classify as "war heroes," the great majority of them are/were not good "garrison soldiers." Shining boots, pressing uniforms, being subeserviant to rank structure and being fluent with policy and procedure generally aren't important aspects to them- it's about being "on" when it's time to kick ass. And that first part generally gets them in trouble, regardless of how badass they may be.

base2 

The thing is though, & I always get a lot of push-back when I say it...But you gotta decide to be not homeless.

Homeless people make every decision in the world except decide to be "not homeless." They choose friends. They choose community. They choose friendship. They choose belonging. They choose drugs. They choose, they choose, they choose everything except deciding to reject homelessness.

It sucks for her, but once she decides that she should take action that would lead to a home, then follow through on that decision. She'll have a home. There is plenty of resources available...To the tune of $100,000,000.00 per year for Seattles 10k homeless. It's a matter of choice.

$10,000 of tax payer money per homeless person in Seattle is plenty.

Homelessness is a decision people choose.

Aaron
(Seattle tax-payer)

GamblerGORD53

Sad story. Mental illness/ deficiencies is not really fixable, contrary to do-gooders wishful thinking. We are what we are.
She broke up with her mother at 15 was it? That was before any head bangs wasn't it?
I have known a few such people that couldn't be fully functioning. NO amount of help can change them. Assisted living is the option.

On another story I saw about a homeless guy, a social experiment/ documentary crew arranged for him to find $100,000 in a dumpster. It was all gone in 6 months. He had the same thoughts of passing the money along to others like him. He rented a place, bought a brand new pick-up truck with thoughts of starting a job. Total failure of course. Other never do well guys have won the millions lottery twice and blew it at bars twice. Homelessness is NOT their problem, most of the time.

Duragrouch

Respectfully, you don't know what you are talking about. I'm a Seattle resident, was employed in defense, then became disabled. Was on long-term disability for years, then suddenly insurance company stopped paying, they said my symptoms were not real. (Wiki ERISA, they can do this, and do, because if you sue and get benefits restored, the law says they don't have to pay any punitive penalties, only restore the original benefits. So there is no incentive against them doing this, in fact, a financial incentive to screw people.) I lost my housing, extremely traumatizing, that and my past history in defense work pushed me into full-tilt PTSD, which only helped the insurance company's argument. Took forever to find a lawyer, most specialists in ERISA work for the insurance companies. I had only 6 months for an appeal, only one shot, no appeals after that. One lawyer took the case, heard nothing for months, called and staff said he had a family problem and was not doing cases. Desperately scrambled, got lucky, found a great lawyer after 5 months on the clock, she hit back at them so hard they caved, didn't even go for the hearing, turned my benefits back on. But now I owe 1/3 of my benefits to the lawyer. (Had it gone to a hearing, the lawyer could have sued for their costs. Faced with a good case against them, that is one of the reasons the insurance company caved, cut their losses.) All because a conservative federal court decades ago ruled that long term disability benefits were a "gift" from the employer, not considered part of the total compensation given to employees, which is b.s., I take all benefits into consideration when deciding to take a job. The renewed (and reduced) benefits were still not enough for a cheap apartment in Seattle, but enough to get me into transitional housing, designed as an interim step for the homeless. First I had to spend a month in an open shelter, the loud snoring at night kept me from sleeping and aggravating my PTSD. The staff could see that and greased the wheels to get me into a room, normally takes longer. Then I had to find counseling for my PTSD. It's not about being down and close to suicide, it's about waking up each morning, it washing over you, but most importantly, thinking that it will never go away, that you will be like this the rest of your life. And, when falling asleep, the moment you drift off, suddenly waking and screaming. Symptoms were severe, I was unable to enjoy anything. With help, I mostly recovered after a year, looked for housing for the next year, applied for low income housing, nothing I could afford, and the money going to the lawyer each month (forever) is not taken into account, my "gross" is not reduced, that's just an expense I pay. After two years, my time in transitional housing was up, even they had to kick me out with the best of luck. I stayed in a homeless camp for a month. I found a dirty, bedbug infested room at a place that housed a lot of seniors, I had applied a year ago and finally came up on their waitlist. But then I mentioned I was under 65, but qualified due to disability. Suddenly they hedged. "I can bring over paperwork proof." "No, let me discuss it with staff here first." Then they screwed me and gave the room to someone else, saying I didn't have proof of disability. Call up the lawyer again, more money but they smack the apartment landlord around hard, another room will be coming up in a couple weeks, I get in. It's filthy. They are supposed to clean the room and usually do, for me they don't. Previous renter for ten years was a heavy smoker. I buy a mop and scrub the ceiling and walls 5 times. I borrow a shop vac and shampoo the rug with hot water and simple green 3 times. Finally clean. I move in. Being disabled, pulling my bike up the stairs practically kills me, but no elevator, I have no choice. But I'm housed, near food stores I can afford and the library for web access. I'm more resourceful than most, even with my brain problems I have a few cells left. Most on the street have zero income and much worse problems. Which is why I try to volunteer and help them, and want to help Rebecca. Pay it forward.

Don't make assumptions unless you have been homeless or work intimately with the homeless.

base2 

So you made the decision to be "not homeless" and followed through.

What I was wrong about?

We all make that transition. I still don't sit near cafe windows, in view of the restaurant door or enjoy my meal on the sidewalk. Gotta keep moving. Never stop in public. If stopped, even for a moment, back to the building to keep a look-out.

Night sweats, panic, insomnia, lethargy, suicide attempts, waking up in my car, out of gas 150 miles away from where I started & not knowing how I got there. A dozen different anti-depressants, panic attacks, hospitalization, a healthy haldol prescription. Stress induced auto-immune problems. Avoidance of crowds...hell, I can't rationalize standing in line...too many people. PTSD affects many people in many different ways...But I don't know what I'm talking about, I guess.

But through it all, going to work at the day labor place (then steady work, to a career thereafter) & actively making the decision to not be homeless got me to a place of stability.

My bicycle is an absolutely necessary component of my mental health. I don't know any other path but forward. It allows me a lens to focus life through. To exercise the rage. To erode it down. To shun the irritations of stupidity "normal" people aren't even aware exist. The tiredness to sleep. The accomplishment & satisfaction of a job well done.

I hear a lot of excuses why "the system" did you wrong. I hope you get it sorted.

Carry on.

Maybe Twigg is similar?

Duragrouch

I got LUCKY. Had I not found the right lawyer in time, I'd be sleeping on the street right now. Had I not found counseling that was a) free, b) didn't require me to register on the state's mental health database in exchange for treatment, and c) agreed to keep everything confidential so not give the insurance company ammunition, I might still be a basket case. Oh and my doctor pushed for me to be on a common antidepressant despite my hesitation, I took one pill, in 4 hours I was nearly suicidal, it amped up my symptoms five-fold. Because I also was suffered anxiety, symptomatically opposite from depression. Had the presence of mind to realize it was the pill, called doctor, they agreed, stop taking the med.

I'm willing to work, when I can. In transitional housing, I noticed that the ovens and fridges in the community kitchen were filthy. Everyone had a chore to do, rotated around. Most took 5 minutes a day. I volunteered to do the ovens and fridges weekly (hours, which is why it was not a regular chore). The oven had a self-cleaning cycle but that was disabled, required by the fire department, what they told me. I cleaned it the hard way with oven cleaner. Helped other residents fix their bikes. I cooked for others. Due to the above, the staff actually wanted me to stay, but rules are rules, I had to go at the end of two years. When I left, I scrubbed the room spotless, they told me they had never seen a room left that clean.

A homeless guy I know of, used to be employed as coach, coincidentally he used to be near Olympic level in a sport, until he lost his job, nobody knew why until talking with him later; clearly developed schizophrenia (if employer had been ethical, they would have filed for long term disability for him, schizo is one of the clear exceptions to mental health exceptions on policies); sleeping on the street. I tell him I can help him apply for SSDI, he said he tried that because of his "bad back", declined. (Probably because his back is fine.) I try to gently explain that we would definitely qualify based on his mental health. Oh no, he says, he's fine. Catch-22.

thinktubes 

radroad

There's a strong correlation between hard work and luck. The harder you work, the luckier you get.

In Twigg's situation, she has placed an insurmountable barrier to overcoming her own situation. She demands EVERY homeless person be housed if she is. That ain't happenin.'

I hate to say it, but homelessness is a choice.

gugie 

Guys, this is getting into the political realm.

SamSpade1941 

Truth , I said it a while back and it didn't stick. This thread is proof most humans aren't capable of dispassionate analysis / discussion.

gugie 

Yeah, much more and we'll have to break out the cat videos.

StanSeven

Yes it is. Homelessness is a major issue but not in a cycling forum. You can take it to P&R if you like.

CliffordK

Edit:

Removing P&R content, post StanSeven note.

How long have women raced?

What did Rebecca Twigg contribute overall?

There was a post a while ago about Kathrine Switzer who became the first woman who ran the Boston Marathon in the 1960's.

A lot has changed between then and now.

base2 

So in summary, before this gets locked. Twigg came in in second place in a bicycle race & decided that she'll never be enough with out a gold medal & gave up. She now has decided she is not worthy...correction, all others are more worthy of help & housing than she is. She has chosen the life she has, she tried hard, she failed & as unfortunate as we think it is, she prefers it this way.

Her coach must've really done a number on her head.

Maybe there is a lesson somewhere in this about bicycle racing or unbridled unyielding passion to win or prove self-worth.

She has given up the standard conventions of society because in her view & based on her experience it's all been demonstrated to be bogus.

I, for one, support her right to "check out."
Even if I don't think the Seattle tax-payer should pay for it. But funds & resources ought to be available if/when she does decide to "check-in."

Sports coaches: Be wary of the lessons you teach.

radroad

I don't think we'll ever know what the "causes" of her current situation are.

The only clear, relevant fact is that she refuses help. The people who want to help are denied the opportunity to assist. The (hypothetical) recipient denies herself any opportunity for shelter as well as an opportunity to re-enter the workforce. Lose/lose. The worst possible outcome.

Her pride is worth more than her life.

RobbieTunes

Every time I get passed on a charity ride, I think of Title IX, and the classmates I had in high school who definitely would have been great. In fact, my last class reunion, I spent a good deal of time laughing with a classmate who was the best wide receiver on Saturday mornings, but not allowed to play on Friday night.... She was an amazing athlete, and I had the chance to tell her wife some very good anecdotes.... She would have been a killer cyclist.

I only knew one high school girl in 1976-1977 who even rode a "10-speed," and I used to ride the whopping 14 miles to her house, and we'd ride into Governor Dodge park, home of "the wall" in the Dairyland Dare. Anyone with a drivers license who still rode bikes was "weird." I think she still rides.

Despite the demise of many mens' sports due to Title IX (like wrestling), it's still a plus in my book, and now that I look back on it, long overdue.

Good book out there: Women on the Move, about early racing. I read it and sent it to a friend, who led Rebecca Twigg exactly 1 lap during a pursuit.

squirtdad

Each one of us has different history and background

Each of us has a different tipping point as to when life is overwhelming

Each of us has our own degree of mental issues, some impactful on our life and some not at all

What none of us can do is truly understand what is behind another person's life.... two people can walk the same steps and have different results.

there are no absolutes.

to put it in vintage bike terms: many in this forum like bar end shifters, I don't like them (knees keep hitting them) and won't use them, but I like brifters, while many people don't. Doesn't make me right or others wrong..... what works for one, often does not work for others

Bandera

Congratulations C&V this thread has generated more "Ignores" for me than all of BF for the last several years, that takes some doing in achieving some really dedicated & deep A-Holery.

-Bandera

radroad

This thread is so wackadoodle. It'll be a relief when it's locked. Rebecca Twigg will go about her business and the rest of us will go back to talking about bikes.