She stunned the world with her Olympic win as the first ever African American to win the individual all-around gold in gymnastics and the first woman to win an individual and team gold. Now, in her new book, “Grace, Gold and Glory: My Leap of Faith” with Michelle Burford, she shares how her faith in God kept her focused and positive when challenges arose.
“Even before I competed in the Olympics, I always wanted to write a book,” Douglas said in a release. “Of course, there will be a lot of stories about gymnastics, but the book will also be about how much my family and I have overcome during our journey. It hasn’t been easy. I want people to read my story and say, ‘If Gabby can do it, I can do it, too. Anything is possible.'”
As she recounts in the book, the 16-year-old Virginia Beach native moved from her native Virginia to Des Moines, Iowa at age 14, where coach Liang Chow trained Olympic gymnast Shawn Johnson. Despite the sacrifice, Douglas knew she needed elite coaching if she wanted to truly compete with her sport’s top athletes. Even so, in her book she says she became so frustrated and homesick she wanted to quit and take a job in the fast food industry. Ultimately with the support of her mom and siblings, Douglas recovered her passion for gymnastics. Her persistence and belief in herself paid off this past summer as the world watched her become the darling of the Olympics during its two week broadcast from London, England. Since then, Douglas’ life has been full of media interviews, TV appearances and even a trip to the White House. Now she’s traveling in support of her book, which is available for purchase and download now.
The youngest of four children, Douglas shares anecdotes from her family life including the truth about her relationship with her estranged father, who serves in the military. She also shares her favorite Bible verses and more about how her faith has sustained her in difficulty and in triumph. “With strong faith in God and some serious determination, every dream is possible,” says Douglas. “I hope this book inspires others to go for their biggest dreams.” Follow Gabby Douglas on Instagram @ Gabbydoug2012 or on Twitter @gabbydoug.
