Video of the gruesome injury quickly went viral, prompting the college senior to post a statement to social media that concluded, “my pain is not your entertainment.”
MORE: Auburn gymnast Sam Cerio breaks both legs during routine
From espnW:
“I was in disbelief that some people found enjoyment in watching the video and being able to post it: ‘Oh my gosh, look at what this girl did,’ laughing at it,” Cerio said. “You go from this very high moment of seeing college gymnasts go viral for floor routines and getting 10s everywhere to a very stark difference when someone gets injured, and it’s not something people are used to seeing in the sport.”
A post shared by Samantha Cerio (@sam_cerio) on Apr 7, 2019 at 10:30am PDT
Cerio was flown by private plane to Birmingham, Ala., for the surgery, performed by Dr. James Andrews and Dr. Benton Emblom.
Emblom told espnW:
Four weeks after the injury, the 22-year-old engineering major was able to walk at her graduation with the help of crutches.
One month after her graduation, she walked 25 steps down the aisle at her wedding.
“Walking down the aisle was something that really made the wedding day that much sweeter,” Cerio said. “I’m really stubborn and want to accomplish goals that I set for myself, and I don’t know if our friends and family were all that surprised, but it was something that definitely helped make the wedding day even better.”
A post shared by Samantha Cerio (@sam_cerio) on Jun 3, 2019 at 10:01am PDT
The former gymnast now lives in Charleston, S.C., with her husband, where she continues her rehab and works for Boeing.