CLIENT STORY – A LOVE LETTER

March 13, 2020

Pittsburgh Fitness Project

Read this client story from Emma Thomas about Olympic Weight Lifting and PFP Barbell as she talks about her fitness journey.

FROM TRAGEDY TO OPPORTUNITY

Does a gift have to be a material item?

No, I do not believe so. In October of 2017, I was training for the upcoming gymnastics season when I took a fall off the bars and hit my head. I was diagnosed with a concussion. After months of doctor visits, medication, waiting, more doctors, and more waiting, the symptoms never really completely resolved. It was time to retire from the sport that defined me. What was I going to do? Everyone knew me as a gymnast. It consumed my life. I trained 25 plus hours in the gym per week and went on weekend road trips for meets. I even worked at the gym. What felt like a tragic ending in my sport led me to a fresh start.

OLYMPIC WEIGHTLIFTING

It was a gift from God. I did a ton of research and found the Pittsburgh Fitness Project and Olympic Weightlifting. The people at Pittsburgh Fitness Project are the most helpful, uplifting, and encouraging people I have ever met. They are family to me and every day I get the gift of seeing them. They have helped me grow both as an athlete and a person. And they taught me to be strong and to believe in myself. One of the best gifts I have ever received. Writing this paper, I started to cry because going to the gym and being around the most positive and inspiring people means the world to me. It fills my heart and puts a smile on my face.

With Love,

Emma