By Billy Hallowell
J’Den Cox has won wrestling matches at the highest levels, including a bronze medal at the 2016 Olympic Games — but he believes the battles he wrestles with himself often usher in the greatest victories.
Cox, 24, is a three time NCAA Division 1 wrestling champion, and an Olympic bronze medalist who also won 4 state titles while in high school, amassing only three losses in that time-frame.
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He also won gold medals at the 2018 and 2019 World Championships, and a bronze medal at the 2017 World Championships. These are just a few of his accolades.
Still, it is Cox’s internal matches that have truly ushered in his most transformative victories.
In his freshman year at the University of Missouri, he found himself struggling to the point where he wondered if he should just throw the towel in all together — and not on a wrestling match, but on his very life.
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Listen to Cox reveal his incredible faith journey:
The climax came one day when Cox was in the midst of battling the demons from his past; he found himself on the edge of a highway, considering ending it all. A chance phone call from his coaches at that very moment helped save his life.
Years later, he’s better and has no problem opening up about his past struggles.
“For a long time, I was ashamed to talk about it because people struggle to show empathy for things they can’t see and understand,” Cox said of his past emotional struggles. “I was afraid to ask for help, and I think that’s something I try to preach now.”
Cox began to go to therapy and changed his mindset, as he worked on bettering his mental health — all while not missing a step on the wrestling mat.
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