Olympic Gymnast Suni Lee’s Dad John Is Thriving in His Wheelchair — Learn What Happened to Him

Olympic golden medalist Sunisa “Suni” Lee owes a batch to her father, John Lee, erstwhile it comes to her blossoming gymnastics career. While John isn’t Suni’s biologic father, he’s been successful her life since she was only 2 years old. However, she was location for him erstwhile he needed her astir — and that makes each nan difference.

What Happened to Suni Lee’s Dad, John Lee?

Suni’s dad, John, was paralyzed from nan waist down successful 2019 aft a devastating autumn from a ladder. John was helping a friend trim down a character branch erstwhile nan mishap happened.

“According to nan doctor, I’m beautiful overmuch paralyzed from present down,” John told NBC’s WTHR soon aft nan mishap occurred while placing a manus connected his thorax for reference.

However, contempt nan melodramatic changes nan family was facing astatine nan time, John’s employer stepped up to support him and his family.

“His mishap occurred connected a Sunday and connected Monday, we had aggregate squad meetings to talk really we could support John and his family,” Dennis Shaw, a head astatine Cummins told WTHR astatine nan time. “At each turn, we wanted to beryllium judge he had what he needed, from co-workers visiting him successful nan infirmary and astatine location to helping pinch nan short-term and semipermanent disablement paperwork to ensuring that he had everything he needed successful a domiciled that was due for him erstwhile he was capable to statesman moving again.”

How Did Suni Lee React to Her Dad Being Paralyzed?

Soon aft his accident, nan Minnesota autochthonal was scheduled to compete successful a elder competition.

“I thought he was going to walk distant erstwhile he was successful nan hospital, truthful I didn’t want to spell to nationals and compete. But he told maine to go, that he really wanted maine to go. So, I did,” Suni antecedently told nan New York Times. “Now I recognize that if he didn’t push maine for illustration that, I wouldn’t beryllium successful nan spot I americium correct now pinch nan Olympics truthful close. I knew he was watching me, truthful I did awesome for him.”

The elite gymnast went connected to triumph gold, metallic and bronze astatine nan 2019 title successful Stuttgart, Germany, acknowledgment to her dad’s insistence.

Suni has had her father’s backmost ever since his accident.

“On nan anniversary, I texted him and said, ‘Dad, I’m truthful proud of really acold you’ve travel and that you’ve travel backmost truthful strong,'” she revealed to the New York Times. “He is still successful a wheelchair, but he tin usage his hands and he is getting amended each day.”

John Lee Isn’t Suni Lee’s Biological Father, But He’s Her Biggest Fan

John came into Suni’s life erstwhile she was conscionable 2 years old. Her dada began making love her mother, Yeev Thoj, astatine nan time, but nan mates ne'er married. He was truthful dedicated to her occurrence that he helped foster her advancement astatine a young age.

“She goes to nan gym, and she practices, but we don’t person a beam here. So, I couldn’t spend a existent beam, truthful I built her one,” John told nan Today show successful July amid nan 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games. “That beam is still there.” Suni’s biologic father’s personality is unknown.

Her parents were incapable to be nan arena successful Japan owed to coronavirus precautions — but John made it clear that nan full family was watching Suni astatine home.

“Even though we can’t spell and support her in-person, I’m gladsome that we could stock pinch nan world,” her dada gushed to CBS Minnesota. “We’re conscionable each truthful happy, we shouted her on. We had nan afloat house, truthful we were beautiful loud.”