Favor Hamilton blames marital issues, depression for behavior
Three-time Olympian Suzy Favor Hamilton issued a series of tweets late Thursday after the shocking reports that she worked as a $600 an hour call girl for a Las Vegas escort service, saying she turned to prostitution because of marital challenges and a battle with depression.
Favor Hamilton, one of the top middle-distance runners in NCAA history, called the life exciting and said her husband, Mark Hamilton, knew what she was doing and did not support her.
"He tried, he tried to get me to stop," she wrote on her Twitter account.
She went on to say on Twitter that she made "highly irrational choices and I take full responsibility."
The story initially was reported Thursday by The Smoking Gun, which revealed that she had worked for a year as a prostitute in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Houston and Chicago. Her cover apparently was blown when Favor Hamilton, who used the name she told several clients her true identity.
The 44-year-old Favor Hamilton has a real-estate agency in Madison, Wis., where she starred on the track for Wisconsin, and the mother of a 7-year-old.
"I am not a victim here and knew what I was doing," she wrote on Twitter. "I do not expect people to understand, but the reasons for doing this made sense to me at the time and were very much related to depression."
In the fallout from her shocking revelation, Disney canceled an appearance by Favor Hamilton in January at a marathon and another running event next August, USA Today reported Friday. Andrea Finger, a spokesperson for Walt Disney World Resort, confirmed to USA Today that Favor Hamilton would not be appearing at Disney event.
Favor Hamilton also had been paid for instruction at the Rock 'n Roll Marathon in the past, but Tracy Sundlun of the Competitor Group told USA Today that she doubted whether the association with Favor Hamilton would continue. She also has appeared in Nike commercials.
Favor Hamilton won nine NCAA titles while at Wisconsin and has a Big Ten athlete of the year award named after her. She made the U.S. Olympic team in the 1,500 in 1992 and 2000 and in the 800 in 1996. But she never medaled at the Olympics, famously falling in the 2000 Sydney Games on the last lap of the 1,500-meter final.
According to The Smoking Gun, Hamilton used the name Kelly Lundy, but her cover was blown when she told several clients about her background. Las Vegas police had no arrest record for her, ESPN.com reported.
"As crazy as I know it seems, I never thought I would be exposed, therefore never hurting anybody," she said on Twitter.
Favor Hamilton closed on Twitter by saying she's seeking psychological help.
"I fully intend to make amends and get back to being a good mother, wife, daughter, and friend," she said.
