I'M COMING CLEAN
Often, life has in store unexpected moments and events that change you forever, that deeply hit you and influence your decisions; events either big or small that can mark your soul and your life indelibly. This is, at least, what happened to Stacy Sykora. When that terrible accident happened, Stacy was on a bus with her teammates of the Vôlei Futuro heading to the first match of the Brazilian championship semifinals. There were only 500 meters left to the sport palace, when suddenly the driver lost the control of the vehicle and the bus leaned on a side and left Stacy severely injured. That day her life turned around: “ I don't remember much about, but after the accident everything has changed. At the beginning I was confident that I could be back physically and mentally very soon, but time
was passing instead and I was not recovering: I became anxious and I was eager to recuperate and so I was even more worried and blocked. Eventually, little by little, I found a way to calm down, to think about my life and eventually I changed my mentality: now, I want to live my life to the maximum every single day! Once I was worried about silly things as eating or drinking before a training, or about being too tired to give it all on the court. Not anymore now. Volleyball has always been a constant in my life and thus I want to give my best during each training; but off the courts I cannot forget to live: I don't want to waste my time because life has
already showed me that everything can happen”. The accident took place in
2011 and since that day Stacy has totally embraced this philosophy: her enthusiasm in welcoming us, in taking the pictures and her will to tell us everything about herself is a clear demonstration of this attitude: “I don't hide anymore; I finished wearing a mask only because I am a strong player who took part to the Olympic Games. I have both good sides and weakness and as I do not hide myself on court, I don't hide myself in love anymore either: I have a girlfriend and I'm happy with her now; I am sorry if someone has a problem with it and doesn't accept my homosexuality, but I'm happy and this is the most important thing. Before the accident I had other girlfriends, but in the past I tended to hide it: this is the first time I say it openly. I have a girlfriend but that does not prevent me from being a good player or a good person”. And living this new relationship so openly