Today we’d like to introduce you to Tyree S. Washington.
Hi Tyree, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I was born and raised in Riverside, California. My grandmother Lee Ethel Williams and my mom Mattie Lee Williams were a huge influence in my life as a young boy. I have two sisters one older than I am and one younger. My older sister who I was extremely close to committed murder 20 years ago and she’s currently serving a 25 to a life sentence.
It was a shock to me considering I was a hard-headed boy who was always fighting and getting Into mischief every day. I fought so much that my mother had to sit in class so I wouldn’t fight. Reality tv has been a huge attraction for prior world wide but growing up in the ghetto in the early 80’s I saw reality tv every day with prostitution, gangs, drugs, poverty, fights, murder, etc. Unfortunately my normal was filled with a lot of chaos and pain.
I tried not to be a product of my environment but I dabbled with gang banging until God sent many angels my way to rescue me from my pain and agony. As a young boy, I would go to the local recreation center to play sports and one of the head recreation leader Raymond who also came from a tough background really showed me, love, by encouraging me that I could be better than what was going on in the streets. I believed in him because he went through many trials and tribulations and was able to live to talk about it.
One day while I was at Bryant Park in Riverside, CA I saw many kids in a group, throwing a football around with a helmet and shoulder pads on. I walked closer and I approached one of the men who looked like a coach and asked him how can I play he said you need to pay $100 to buy your equipment and uniform. I told him I was poor and we couldn’t afford it. He said well you can sell 100 raffle tickets to get your uniform and equipment and I said ok.
I raced back home and told my mom I wanted to play football and she looked at me and said your too-small play football. I begged my mom to let me play and she finally caved in and said yes. I knew it would be an up-heal battle because I had severe asthma and spent most of my time in and out of the hospital having asthma attacks. I didn’t care and I went to my coach and told him I’m my and said I can play.
He gave me 100 raffle tickets and I stood in front of the grocery store with mom during the blistering summer heat inland and sold all my tickets. The day I brought my $100 to my coach I was so excited and I was even more excited when I and time went to a warehouse to get fit for our helmet, shoulder pads, and pants. It took me little time to get acquainted with football and every year I got better and better.
My mom had no clue about football but she was happy that was staying out of trouble for the time being. I got into a fight at school and my coaches found out about it and they told me, I would never amount to anything if I keep fighting. I would end up dead, in jail, or on the streets.
I was the type of kid that wouldn’t show any emotions because on the streets you could get killed being soft but when he said that to me the tears ran down my face like rain because I wanted to be like Eric Dickerson who played for the LA Rams or Walter Payton aka “Sweetness” who played for the Chicago Bears. I have never met these two amazing pro football players but they seem to be two great men on and off the field. I stopped fighting after my coach let me and I started to do amazing in school.
When my pop warner football days were over I went to high school and I continued my success in football and track. I thought my tough times were behind me until around my junior year I was planning to kill my mother’s boyfriend. He had been beating her for years so I had enough. I sat on a bench at school plotting how I was going to end this man’s life and take the light from his eyes until one of my teammates Mike Passalacqua asked me how I was doing.
I didn’t want to tell anyone my plan but I told him because I figured he could keep a secret and he didn’t. The bell rang he went his way and I went mine later on my coaches, and administrators all knew about my plot to kill. My coaches told me if I kill him I would throw away everything I’ve done to turn my life around and I would end up in jail. I agreed.
My football coach Dan Passalacqua and his wife Debbie Passalacqua said I could come live with them and I accepted even though I would have to leave my mom and sisters. I figured if I could get my life right then I could get them out of their bad situation. I went home to grab my belongings and my mother asked me where I was going and I told her I’m going to live with my football coach because I want to kill her boyfriend.
She cried and pleaded for me to not go and then my sister followed. Soon later her boyfriend came out and said to me you’re going anywhere. We exchanged cuss words while we were yelling and then I told him I will tell the cops you’re using drugs and he backed off. He said Mattie, let him go. I left while the tears ran down my sister and mom’s face but I knew I would see them again.
My mother’s boyfriend moved and I didn’t see her for over two years. My mother missed my football games, track meets, award ceremonies, football scholarship signing to Oregon University, and High School graduation. I was heartbroken, sad, lonely, and angry but I knew I had to focus on getting my life right to help my mom get out of her abusive relationship. Almost two years later I rescued my mom and sister from her boyfriend thanks to my friends and law enforcement.
I signed with U of Oregon but I came up short on my SAT/ACT so I had to sit out a year and come back the following year. To add on to the pressure my girlfriend was pregnant and I was going to be a father. I went to U of O but have yo my scholarship to go help take care of my girlfriend and her baby. The U of O staff tried to do their best to keep me in Eugene, Oregon but I left. When most players leave and give up their athletic scholarship you don’t see them again.
I enrolled in Riverside Community College in Riverside, CA to play football in hopes of getting another football scholarship but after playing in a few games I didn’t have the urge to okay football. So one day at school I see this short dark muscular man approach me and in his Nigerian accent, he says my name is Blackman Ihem and l can make you into one of the greatest 400m runners ever.
I looked at him and laughed. He took no offense and said I’m the sprint coach at San Bernardino Valley College here’s my info and call me when you’re ready to change your life. I went home and thought about what He said and knew I needed to make a change for my baby on the way.
I left RCC and enrolled in San Bernardino Valley College as a Student-Athlete in the winter of 1996 by May 1997 I had broken the National Record in the 400m and the Junior College State Record in the 400m/200m. I was the second fastest 400m runner in the world behind Michael Johnson who a year prior broke the World Record in the 200m at the Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia, and the Olympic Record in the 400m.
I qualified for the 1997 Outdoor US Nationals in Indianapolis and I packed 2end to make the World Championship team. My first international race was against The Great Michael Johnson in Paris, France. He had a 58 meet winning streak and I beat him along with another runner from Uganda. I was you best to ever beat Michael Johnson. Michael was able to redeem himself and beat me at the Outdoor World Champs.
I earned myself a bronze and got ranked second in the world behind Michael. I did this while being a student-athlete in Junior College. My whole life changed when I ran 44.52 in the 400m to break the Junior College National Record. The Track and Field world was waiting to see if I would go running for a University or go Pro. I decided to go Pro because I wanted to stay with my coach/pop Blackman Ihem.
The following year I got ranked 4th in the world in the 400m and I won two silver medals at the Goodwill Games. I still had the fire inside to play football. Football was always going to be my first love no matter what I did in Track and Field. In the Spring of 1999, I decided to hire a football agent Dr. Harold Daniels to help me sign with an NFL team and my dream came true when I signed with the San Diego Chargers.
I had dreamed of suiting up, taking team pictures, and running on the football field in front of thousands of fans. I had to go to training camp at the University of California San Diego to see if I could make the 58-man roster. Training camp was going well until I came down on my knee wrong. I felt all my hard work was going to an end but for everything else in my life, I had to fight back.
I rehabbed and got back on the field but unfortunately, I was cut. The Oakland Raiders picked me up but I decided to pass because I and my wife were newly wedded and we were having trouble in our marriage so I decided to give my chance up to play for The Raiders to get the right life with God and save my marriage. My agent was not thrilled with my decision but my mind was made up.
I went back to running track professionally to get ready for the 2000 summer Olympics but my heart was set on trying to get back to the NFL one day. My track season was going great until a month before the Olympic Trials. I get a call that my sister and her boyfriend brutally killed my niece. I was devastated. I wanted to kill my sister and her boyfriend for what they did to my innocent niece.
I was one of the top 400m runners in the world going into the Olympic trials. I was projected to make the team and win a medal at the Olympics in Sydney, Australia. I get a respiratory infection before the Olympic trials my doctors s scrambled to try and heal me but I was too sick. I still go to the Olympics trials and get knocked out in the first round. The world is shocked. I’m shocked. Reporters ask me what happened I say it was my day. I walk out of the stadium and cry like a baby.
I’m devastated at what happened to me and my family so I take the rest of the year off. Io come back the following year to rebound from my disappointment at the Olympic trials and prepare to make the Outdoor World Championship team and disappointment hit me again like a back of rocks. I had the fastest time in the world going into the 2001 US Outdoor Nationals and I strain my hamstring.
I was the favorite to win the gold at the world champs but instead, I was out of a major championship again. I was so angry and frustrated and asked for that three-letter word…. WHY! I knew it wasn’t God’s fault but my tragedy and setbacks were schooling me that life is very unpredictable and it doesn’t care about fame, fortune, looks, accolades, material possessions, etc.
Once again I took the year off and two years after the day my sister and boyfriend murdered my niece I tried to commit suicide by hanging myself. I always thought of myself as strong but all the things in my life weighed on my heart and soul And I had enough. As I was getting ready to end my life as I tied a noose, I felt an eery peace that it was ok to go.
But then in the midst of my eery peace, I thought about my little son who I would leave here on earth distraught and fatherless. My wife had called the police and by then officers were in my home and pleaded with me to get help the I need. I was taken into custody to get help and once again God sent his angels to rescue me from my chaos.
I decided to was going to give Track another shot after being off for 18 months. Me and Coach Black/Poops came up with a plan to have one of the greatest seasons I had in my career. His prophecy came true. In 2003 I won US Indoor Nationals in the 400m, Indoor World Champs in the 400m, US Outdoor Nationals in the 400m, Silver medal at the Outdoor World Champs in Saint-Denis, France.
I got ranked number one in the world at 400m. My won-loss that threw a monkey wrench in my undefeated season would come back to me six years later when the Balco Scandal rocked the sporting world. I didn’t know it at the time but many athletes were taking undetectable steroids to enhance their athletic performance.
The federal government did an investigation and many athletes confessed that they were doping including my teammates. I had originally won eight world titles and I had a world record. Due to my teammates doping I lost 4 World Titles and my World Record. The one lost I had a 2003 Outdoor Worlds in the 400m was upgraded to a gold medal. It was bittersweet to get upgraded to a gold medal six years after being runner-up to my teammate who was doping.
I was going to use my horrible experience with Balco to help educate young athletes to always work hard, have good character, and maintain integrity even when it’s not attractive. I had great momentum going into the 2004 Olympic trials. Once again I was the favorite to win the Olympic trials and the Olympics in the 400m. Lighting struck again and months before the Olympic trials I get Achilles tendinitis.
I have a fighting spirit and go to the Olympic trials but only make it to the second round because of the pain and I couldn’t run on the balls of my feet. My season was over yet again. The following year was another World Championship year and I get injured again another injury knocking me off the World Championship team. My doctors told me my season was over but I said no. I told them to give me some Motrin and I will be on my way.
I and my agent had a goal for me to make the World Athletic Final at the end of the year to race against the top 400m runners in the world. The catch was you had to accumulate a certain amount of points to get invited. I made the cut and got the points I needed to get invited despite being injured all season. I was able to win the World Athletic Final competing against the Olympic and World Champ and many other great 400m runners.
The following year I won another world title at the 2006 Indoor World Champs in Moscow, Russia. In 2007 I had major back surgery that landed me in ICU for four days. Once again my doctors said my season was over but I came back to run and didn’t make the World Championship team. I tried to make my third Olympic team but by then my body had worn out and I decided to retire from the sport.
I had a blessed career as a professional athlete. Despite my illness with asthma, the tragedy I endured, the loss of world championship gold medals, etc I was able to persevere because God sent the right people in my life at the right time to give me hope to never give up on life.
My journey has taken me through many highs and lows but I’m grateful for my family and close friends. Today I’m an. author, “Against all Odds”, Motivational Speaker, Nonprofit CEO/Founder Athletes vs Asthma Inc, Speed, Conditioning and Agility/Track Coach,
Life will put you in the armbar to get you to tap out, don’t! I believe God will always give you a way out of your bad situation, you have to be willing to accept his way out and not yours. “Destiny can be delayed but not denied”
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Life hasn’t been a smooth road. As a child, I had to deal with poverty, abuse, illness, gangs, drugs, prostitution murder.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a retired professional athlete in Track and Field and Football. I’m currently the Founder/CEO of my nonprofit Athletes vs Asthma Inc. I’m also a Motivational Speaker that works with student-athletes, troubled youth, and corporations. As well as working on the mindset with student-athletes I’m a Speed, Conditioning, and Agility/Track Coach. I help student-athletes reach their full potential by enhancing their athletic performance.
We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
Yes. Your body is your temple so take care of it. You have one body and one life.
Contact Info:
- Website: athletesvsasthma.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/athletesvsasthma/
- Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/athletesvsasthma
- Other: https://instagram.com/therealtyreeswashington?r=nametag
Image Credits
Landry Bender, Chase Perez, and John Carlos
