Penn State kicker Joey Julius has shown on the field he is not one to shy away from competition and giving and taking a big hit. He has also not been shy about his weight and battle with an eating disorder. On Friday, Julius announced on his public Facebook page his ongoing battle with an eating disorder required some more strenuous attention.
Julius used his Facebook message to explain why he has been absent and out of sight recently, including Penn State’s spring game.
“I have been struggling over the last couple months with my eating disorder,” Julius said. “It got to the point where I had to return to St. Louis to seek further treatment at the McCallum place. Recovery is a wonderful and beautiful thing that I am working on returning too.”
Julius continues to use his situation to speak out and reach others who may be dealing with similar circumstances in their lives.
“For anyone out there that has similar struggles, I hope you too can seek help in some way. Your feelings should be completely validated and I wish you all the best in your search for recovery.”
Julius went on to say he is doing well with his treatment.
“There is light at the end of the tunnel,” Julius said. “It is just a very long tunnel.”
Julius will be starting a blog in the future to chronicle his story in another attempt to connect with others dealing with eating disorders. Eating disorders are not commonly connected to football players, so Julius using his voice to let others know it can happen is commendable.