“That was so impactful because he was such a big-name athlete,” Young said. “When he wrote his story for The Players Tribune, and there were a few lines in there that made me feel like he was inside my brain.
![Former Timberwolves' player Kevin Love talked with the media during a press conference before the game. ] (KYNDELL HARKNESS/STAR TRIBUNE) kyndell.harkness@startribune.com Timberwolves vs Cleveland at the Target Center in Minneapolis Min., Saturday, January 31, 2015.](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/76GIATBHEWIGEKSNN76ERUHI6A.jpg?&w=1080)
Former Timberwolves' player Kevin Love talks with media during a press conference suring a game in 2015. (Tom Wallace — DML - Star Tribune Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
“We couldn’t have had different life experiences, and he was this famous professional athlete, but I felt seen. I think it’s so powerful to have athletes talking about these challenges, because the outside perception might be that they’re rich, and when you have more money you have less problems. That’s not usually the case. You might have more resources, but mental health challenges definitely don’t discriminate.”
Young was diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder when she was 14.
“Anxiety has been a part of my story for most of my life,” she said. “I was a very anxious child, as well. While I never want those things to define me, they are a part of my story. And in my adult life, post-college, I’ve dealt with depression. Navigating those two things has been something that I’ve learned to do. And as frustrating and difficult as it can be, I also feel like I’m able to look at the flip side of these things, and I’m able to relate to somebody else going through something difficult. I’m grateful for that.”
She began writing when she was a child, and her fifth-grade teacher told her she could be great someday. Her father loved Minnesota sports, and as the oldest child, Young became his football-watching partner.
They watched a lot of Vikings games together. “I couldn’t think of anything better than combining my love of writing with my love of sports,” she said.