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Sexual Abuse In Theo Fleury's Playing With Fire

1007 Words5 Pages

To most people’s surprise, even in the professional and highly political National Hockey League (NHL), there are people involved with the association that suffers from mental illness and addictions. One of those people was Theo Fleury. Theo Fleury’s book takes you back in time to his dark childhood and bumpy National Hockey League career. Fleury certainly does not hold back in detail when it comes to the sexual abuse he experienced as a child, and the drug abuse as an adult. Though all this happens to him, he perseveres and attempts a National Hockey League comeback as well as becoming a number one best selling author. The novel Playing with Fire by Theo Fleury and Kristie Day goes to show the power of resiliency when Theo rises above neglect, …show more content…

Theo did not have a choice to be hard shelled and resilient, it was his only way of survival. Day & Fleury write, “There was a hand on me, rubbing my ass. ‘What the hell is going on?’ I thought … I worried he would be mad. It is almost painful to think about how innocent I was” (21). That would be the very first time it happened but unfortunately it was not the last for Theo, Graham would be in his life for a while. Day & Fleury write, “The next year, in Grade 9, I was drafted in the second round by the Warriors. Graham was the coach. It was a trade-off. I would take it back today if I could, because it cost me my soul” (22). It was not until later on in life when Theo was older, sober and mature enough to really understand the situation and what had happened to him. Day & Fleury write, “They key to abuse is secrecy. Once the secret is out, the spell is broken. If you look back at my story, you’ll find that what Graham did was make me believe that if I ever told anybody, there would be serious consequences” (153). It is quite clear to see that Theo did not have a normal childhood. Being neglected by his parents and exposed to Graham James would eventually drive Theo to abuse

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