Jimmer Fredette’s family is “heartbroken” over his experience at the Olympics, but also feeling blessed to have been in Paris together, according to an emotional Instagram post from Whitney Fredette.
She reflected on his injury during the U.S. men’s 3x3 basketball team’s second of seven games in the pool play round and why she took it so hard.
“There have been an insane amount of tears this week (mostly from me) mostly mourning what could have been instead of what was happening. We are all heartbroken for him, for this team, for what we had hoped would happen this week. But again, that’s life, and everything happens for a reason,” she wrote.
Going into the Olympics, the U.S. team was expected to be well-positioned to bring home a medal in men’s 3x3 basketball. But then Fredette’s injury to his inner thigh sidelined him, leaving the U.S. squad with no substitutes for its final five games of pool play.
The U.S. ended the round with a 2-5 record and were eliminated, as the Deseret News previously reported.
On his own Instagram account on Sunday, Jimmer Fredette reflected on his experience at the Olympics, expressing a mix of gratitude and sorrow.
“I’m a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. And something this has taught me is to enjoy the journey. You never know what can happen once you reach your destination but if you don’t enjoy getting there — you are missing the point,” he wrote.
Both Jimmer and Whitney Fredette noted that his injury happened on the same day that he was named the No. 1 FIBA 3x3 basketball player in the world.
“I cannot tell you how difficult it is to see the person you love most in this world watch their dreams come crashing down,” Whitney Fredette wrote.
Neither of the Fredettes said much about what the future will hold, other than to say that Jimmer Fredette’s injury will take about six months to heal.
Whitney Fredette wrote that she is feeling grateful for the family’s blessings even as she mourns what could have been in Paris.
“Life is ... about perspective. We’re all here, in Paris, competing at the Olympics as a family. We have 3 healthy kids, an amazing marriage, and so many blessings,” she said.
She wrapped up her post by thanking everyone for their “prayers and love.”