Life handed Hannah Morrow lemons, and now she says it’s her job to turn them into lemonade.
The Neuqua Valley senior is a survivor of the Dr. Larry Nassar sexual abuse scandal. As a promising gymnast, her abuse began at age eleven and continued for years.
She recently confronted Nassar along with dozens of other survivors at his sentencing in January.
“I was writing my impact statement for my sentencing for Larry when everybody testified,” Morrow said. “I was listening to the song ‘Lemon’ by Rihanna and when I was listening to it I thought of that quote and got inspiration from that song and that’s how I brought that quote into that statement. It’s just kind of become my thing.”
“Life handed me lemons and you best believe that I am well-prepared to make some lemonade,” she said to the man who abused her. From then on, that was her motto.
Morrow even featured her symbol and quote on t-shirts she has been selling at Oswald’s Pharmacy and Anderson’s Bookshop.
Her mother said she’s proud of how Hannah has spun her tragedy into something noble.
“Some people if they had that happen to them might just be in bed and kind of sad and whatever,” said Hannah’s mother Kathy Morrow. “But she’s just getting out there and fighting and we’re helping her fight and will continue to fight until people like this don’t exist anymore because they are not going to win.”
The family held multiple events this weekend to raise money and awareness for Speak Your Silence a non-for-profit dedicated to helping survivors of sexual abuse.
McAlister’s in Naperville hosted a raffle and donated a portion of Saturday’s proceeds to speak your silence. And MPG Fitness in Plainfield sold Hannah’s shirts and held a raffle on Sunday.
Hannah says she is determined to continue spreading her message and help as many people as she can.
“I think that, not just with the sexual assault issue but with any aspect in life, just not letting you get you down so much,” Hannah said. “I’ve seen so many people just kind of give up and not do anything about the situations that life has brought them but it’s so important to just take everything that life brings you and making the best out of it.”
Hannah’s shirts are also available online at this link.
Naperville News 17’s Casey Krajewski reports.
