San Antonio Spurs Guard, Lonnie Walker IV, Cuts His Hair, Revealing Childhood Sexual Abuse
San Antonio Spurs guard, Lonnie Walker IV, took to Instagram live earlier this week to share the cutting of his trademark hair, surprising basketball fans across the country.
What especially caught fans off-guard was a later Instagram post in which he expressed that he has used his hair as a “cloaking device” after enduring rape and sexual abuse as a child. Now, the 21-year-old Pennsylvania native feels that it is time to move on.
In the long, heartfelt post, Walker details his experiences as a child, stating, “During the summer of my 5th grade, year I was around more family. I was sexually harassed, raped, abused, I even got accustomed to it because being at that age you don’t know what is what.”
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For Lonnie Walker, his hair is an aspect of his life that has always been in his immediate control, adding, “My hair was what I can make and create and be mine. And it gave (me) confidence.”
As a result of the coronavirus pandemic, Lonnie Walker went on to explain that he hasn’t been at his best state mentally, having been forced to confront his childhood memories while living in isolation. He later explained that the time alone has allowed him to “truly look at myself in the mirror and see who I truly was even behind closed doors.”
“Long story short I have found peace and internal happiness through this journey, god willingly. I forgave everyone, even the people that don’t deserve it why? Because it’s dead weight. Time doesn’t wait on anyone so why should I waste my time on it?”
Through the cutting of his hair, Lonnie Walker hopes to lose that “dead weight,” both spiritually and physically.
“Life will always be hard. Gotta play with the cards you’re dealt with and try and make a winning hand. And if you lose. It’s never a loss. It’s a lesson.”
Walker’s agent, George Langberg, also issued a statement earlier this week on behalf of his client, telling ESPN, “It is his hope that by opening up, it will help anyone who reads his story that may have been sexually abused in the past, or anyone who may be going through something similar now, to know that they are not alone. Lonnie appreciates the outpouring of support and appreciates everyone respecting his privacy at this time.”
