I was Julissa's teammate in San Antonio, Texas. She was 9 when I quit gymnastics, a quiet girl with loads of talent. It was wonderful to see what a beautiful gymnast she grew up to be. My former coach called me when she died and I was shocked and saddened. I am glad there is more safety measures taken now.
What makes these incredibly tragic story even more sad.. how quickly Julissa was forgotten. Her medical status was not ever reported honestly until her passing, and because she wasn't THEE champion, Julissa's name was all but forgotten with the next wave of elite gymnasts to make the national team. She should have been honored, her name known by every fan of women's artistic gymnastics... instead, she has been forgotten. Very sad
I don’t disagree. We have to remember this happened at a time where coaches would tell gymnasts that they’re not trying enough; they’re not really hurt; they’re eating too much (when in reality most were starving themselves). In addition, coaches told gymnasts they had to do the Yurchenko vault if they wanted to make the Olympic team. It was a vault that had at the time only been used in competition for about six years. Tracee Talavera was one of the first US gymnasts to do the vault. Now overnight, coaches were working gymnasts into overdrive to learn and master the vault; whereas Yurchenko worked for years to master it and debut it at the world level. In addition, Julissa’s accident happened as the world was getting ready for the summer Olympics. A story like this would have put a dark cloud over the sport and be distracting to gymnasts. The point: USA Gymnastics had already mastered the art of covering up what was really happening.
Indeed. Julissa should never have been forgotten. I understand that the Olympic Committee didn’t want to have the death of a gymnast to put a dark shadow over the Olympics that year, but making it seem like she didn’t matter was wrong. Can you imagine if this had happened DURING the summer Olympics?!
@@ultimatewitcherfan6677 thanks - she must have been in hospital a long time I guess. The accident happened in May I gathered from the video, yet her death was in August. Only 18 years old! Very tragic.
And to think people were actually angry and calling Simine Biles a loser and quitter for bowing out at the Olympics, which ironically enough were held in Japan. Julissa and Elena Mukhina are why it's dangerous to engage in this sport without being property prepared and in the right head space.
And also, why coaches shouldn’t be allowed to push gymnasts into dangerous moves they aren’t ready for, just to try and score points which lead to more medals for the country concerned. I know accidents will always happen, but they shouldn’t happen because children are forced into hours of practice resulting in injuries which aren’t given time to properly heal and forced into dangerous moves. If the gymnast is reluctant to do something, that should be the end of the matter. I do also wonder where parents are at times. If my child complained of a bullying coach, I’d go and watch every session. Or enough sessions anyway and I’d pull the gymnast out of practice if I thought more recovery was needed.
Elena Mukhina had no parents though, she was being raised by her grandmother. It was definitely her coach pushing her and refusing to accept the fact that her leg hadn't healed. He forced her to do a very dangerous move, simply for the sake of medals.
@@moiraatkinsonand I don't think think that any parents complained at that time. It was a different system in a different time. Coaches had complete control and parents wouldn't even think to complain. Much like the figure skating system. The school system was much the same. Teachers had carte blanche to do whatever they chose to do to students and if any parents did complain, they quickly learned that their complaints fell on deaf ears.
There are several others, a Soviet gymnast was paralyzed right before Olympics as her coaches forced her to do a trick she wants ready for , also she was hurt and recovering at the time. Another Chinese gymnast was paralyzed on beam , so sad
Also a Canadian who was asked to do a dangerous (and never before completed) move on the bars paralyzed at 14. She’s a successful businesswoman now but as you can imagine her life completely changed.
@@mrjforall young gymnasts are so easily exploited though. They are brought into the sport when they are still too young to make their own decisions and can be pressured and pushed beyond their limits. To lose a life or limb so young, so unnecessarily is a tragedy.
I first learned about Julissa whe I read the book "little girls in pretty boxes"in the late 90s. There was a whole chapter written about her and the accident. It was said that she never truly mastered the Yurchenko vault and couldn't perform it with any consistency even during practice. But in the 80s everyone had to try to to learn this vault fast to keep pace with the soviets. She was a beautiful, elegant gymnast. Rest in peace Julissa!
I was a gymnastics coach in Texas when this happened. Yurchenkos were still new at the time, and it was shocking to me whenever I’d go to a competition and witness frighteningly unprepared athletes attempting skills like this one, “led” by coaches who most likely had never taken an anatomy class, a psychology class, a biomechanics class or anything along these lines - all gambling for an extra tenth of a point. I can look back all these years later with a clear conscience, knowing that I NEVER put any of my athletes in harm’s way like that. Those with whom I’m still in touch often express gratitude, saying that they can look back now and see that they were in a healthy environment, and the only memories they have about their gymnastics days are all good. Although incredibly slowly and often incompetently, USA Gymnastics is at least understanding that there needs to be some legitimate education out there. RIP, Julissa, knowing that - although much too late - your story has played a major role in the lives of so many innocent kids today. I’m so sorry the cost.
@@robynzelickson6164 Yes, it does. Béla Károlyi was known for his brutal training methods and his medals over safety attitude. He often said that winning medals justified the brutal training. He would often limit his gymnasts’ food intake to a meager 900 calories per day. If one of his gymnasts got hurt, he didn’t even care. He would use intimidation to make them do as they were told. In the 80s, a lot of gymnastics coaches used his brutal training methods.
@ultimatewitcherfan6677 omg, that's really terrible then! I thought they might not care so much if one of their gymnasts got hurt. I've seen the clip of Kerri Strug doing a second vault even though she was already hurt because he said she had to. But restricting an athlete to a 900 calorie a day diet?? That's abusive! No wonder they were all so thin!
@@ultimatewitcherfan6677 yes that makes complete sense. Between the risky choreo and the starvation diets, no one was caring for these girls' well-being. It's no wonder that so many of them got hurt. They were built like little waifs. It's good that an athletic build is more the accepted look now.
I don't know if there's actually footage of the accident available to show. The footage in this video come from clips that her sister has uploaded to TH-cam over the years. Sometimes it seems like the gymnastics community has completely forgotten Julissa, so her sister uploaded her family's home videos to try to keep her memory alive.
Agreed!! I paused the video as soon as I read the description of her accident and considered turning it off. Instead, I scrolled forwards to avoid it. I was relieved to see nothing but clips of her beautiful gymnastics playing. It hurts my heart to see pictures or videos of any kind of accident in which a life was lost. I've always been very sensitive to that. When I was 18, one of my best friends committed suicide in a public place and his standoff with a negotiator was aired live. I actually walked in the room where my parents were watching TV, heard something about police trying to get a suicidal guy to surrender, not knowing it was my dear friend, and walked back out of the room because I had a sickening feeling. My parents were mortified when hours later, his name was released and some insensitive images were shown. Flashes of the scene of an accident in which a beloved classmate died still haunt me. A couple of yrs ago, the father of my child died in a horrible freak accident (he was in a bank parking lot, headed back to his car, when he was struck by a vehicle that flew off the main road). I avoided the news for weeks, for fear they'd show something. I was relieved to hear that no images were released. I'm extra grateful, because not only would that have broken me to pieces, but worse: our daughter would have found it by now. Julissa was a stunning gymnast, far too young when she died. Her story really is tragic. 😢
Gymnastic ELEGANCE at its finest! Very unfortunate ending for Ms. Gomez, her family, and the gymnastic world. So grateful that her beauty was captured on video!
@@mrjforall participating in sport contests and being attacked by someone are totally different things. In contests you KNOW what's gonna happen. You don't know what your attacker is capable of, no matter how experienced or strong you are. They could kill you on the spot if you make a wrong step. In contests you play by the rules. Abusers only know how to play dirty.
@@mrjforall Also we all have our weak spots. One can be physically strong, but emotionally or mentally vulnerable. Abusers will always take advantage of others' weaknesses. Not all can fight back.
She was a former Karolyi gymnast. In this film she has the Karolyi Leo on and you see Bela coaching her. She left the Karolyi’s and it wasn’t 6 months to a year before she sustained her injury in Japan with her new coach. There are other details you will find in other videos as well if you want even more details. I’m so sorry this happened to such an exceptional gymnast and her parents as well. 😢 There have also been even more safety concerns as well on Vault. The Vaulting table is now substantially larger which was also a safety issues addressed. Definitely softer mats should be under and for the dismount mat for all gymnasts. This would help ankle and foot injuries due to repetitive landing plus it would certainly help on surprise landings as well.
Her form speaks volumes of a beautiful heart. I’m sure this young lady would not want anyone else to suffer like her and her family and friends have. She should always be remembered as a way maker. Rest in peace
I remember hearing this story when it happened. This is such a sad and tragic story. I appreciate your videos and reminder of what a beautiful young gymnast she was. My prayers go out to her family.
You left out the part where Julissa's oxygen tube came out that night in the hospital, and by the time any medical staff realized it she'd suffered profound brain damage, leaving her in a vegetative state.
It's amazing how one can be so strong and limber and seconds later be quadriplegic. It shows how delicate life and mobility truly are. It reminds me of Bruce Lee who at the top of his game in one night died.
Loved Gymnastics all my life ❤ I'm 64 Obviously didn't follow it at this tine as I don't remember the gymnast, but so glad I've seen this video. How beautifully she moved and what a sad story that dedication ended in her death 💔 Rest in Peace Julissa 🕊️
If the vaulting accident didn’t happen with Julissa, I think she would’ve gone on to be in the 1988 Olympics along with being an inspiration for Latina girls to get interested in gymnastics!
The other tragedy with the vault was 16yo Sang Lan, 1998 New York Goodwill Games, again during practices, someone disturbed the aparatus and she missed a landing, causing her to become paralyzed from chestdown. Gymnastics is a very risky sport.
Isn't this what always happens? Something dreadful always has to happen before safety measures are increased and changes are being made. This is truly one of the most heartbreaking stories I've ever heard. Poor girl had so much talent and would've gone far. RIP Julissa.
This is my first time hearing of julissa and that immensely saddens me. As a former gymnast who was immersed in the culture at a young age in the early and mid 90's I definitely should have heard of her. Especially with the talent she displayed, the form on that girl was insane! I firmly believe she would have blown even Kerri strugg and Simone biles out of the water had she survived to reach her full potential. RIP beautiful Julissa 😢
She was just two years older than I am, and when I think about how much life I have enjoyed since I was 18 years old, it breaks my heart that she never got that chance. Rest in peace ❤🕊️
She was an amazing gymnast. What a tragedy to die at 18! The saddest part is someone in the hospital unplugged her ventilator!! Thats how she lost oxygen and died!! 💔 😢😢 Im lost for words!
The ventilatior wasn’t unplugged intentionally, it got disconnected by accident as far as I know. Why no one noticed it I don’t know 😕 R.I.P. Julissa ❤️
I was visiting another gymnast at the facility Julissa was at. She too had an accident on Vault and she as well was an instant quadriplegic. What a coincidence, two quadriplegic injuries from the same sport within days apart of one another. 😢😢😢
In my junior year of HS, a senior gymnast at my school fell while on the balance beam and broke her back. She was able to walk again, but was permanently disabled.
i knew julissa from gage gymnastics, what happened to her is tragic, i am incredibly sorry what happened. she is an outstanding lady, sent tto her parents with love from sherrie hawker
Stunning! 🙌🏼👏🏼🩷 Graceful like a ballet dancer, my favorite style of gymnastics. Your time was cut short, but your contributions to the sport live on through these tapes. I’m glad athletes are more protected than ever on these apparatuses 💔🙏🏼
@@nikitab92 The compulsory routine is only supposed to show off certain skills which is why it's not very difficult in terms of like, double layouts or what have you. It is beautiful like the figure skating used to be when they had to actually skate figures in the ice. They don't do that anymore. The 1988 Olympic compulsory routine was done to a lone piano piece, very simple and pretty. My favorite is the layout stepout pass. It is showing artistry rather than being about power. We have lose the grace in gymnastics, it's just gone now. They don't put the bars close enough to do many of the beautiful skills from the 60s and 70s anymore, either. Now it's just all about power and hard tumbling with skills that certainly would break your neck. I'd rather have the gentle and pretty floor exercise than all the Salto's and stuff designed to simply be difficult without looking nice or having any beauty or artistry. Some moves are downright just unpleasant to watch but they're impressive to put the human body through to see the limits. If I wanted just watching daredevils pushing limits, this is not the sport I'd choose.
@@user-dd5eh5lu3o The gymnastics from the 70s and 80s was very graceful, but it also had its problems. Gymnasts weren't allowed to look like women. It's not that nowadays gymnasts aren't being pressured to be thin, but at least you see a wider age and body range now. You don't need to look like a little girl to be good at gymnastics. I like both the graceful gymnastics from before and the powerful gymnastics from today and ideally I'd like the sport to be a combination of both. Figure skating has really been ruined. Now it's just 50 different ways to spin in a circle. The people who are responsible for the rating the skills can get are really to blame here. They are forcing gymnasts and figure skaters to perform routines that are too similar and not varied enough to be able to get a high score.
What is extra devastating to me is that she was a CHILD when this happened. I could never, as a coach, push a teenager in my care to do a skill they weren't physically capable of doing. That she spent her final years of life in a vegetative state and passed away at only 18 is so devastating. Coaches have to listen to their athletes. I consider myself very competitive, but no 1st place is worth my athlete's safety.
Wow! What a talent! I never knew about this young lady! I was 18 when she died. How incredibly sad. She was so good, but she would undoubtedly have developed to be even greater had she lived.
The vault was not a table back then, it was much more narrow and there wasn’t the U pad around the springboard either. Everything was more dangerous back then, backyard trampolines bounced the kid 6 feet up, it’s not like today. Slides were 2 stories high and metal, no guard rails- kids fell off all the time. Every pool had a diving board, we did all kinds of risky things that aren’t even considered nowadays. Kids may be safer but they also don’t know how to assess risk. That’s why you see them posing for selfies with bison at Yellowstone, lol.
So very beautiful she was ..such skill and grace..so strong. So sad and tragic..her mom and dad, family and friends are still in our prayers for strength to find solace, comfort and meaning of any kind in life now. 🙏🙏🌼♥️
Yes, her story was tragic, but to say that her legacy of being the inspiration for safer vaulting is a sad thing is to downplay her value. I'll bet her parents are very proud to know, that despite the circumstances, her death has resulted in changes which may have saved the lives of countless athletes since! Thanks to Julissa Gomez...bless you Sweet girl
Sept 12, 2024: Oh my gosh, I had never heard about this little girl before today. {A truly sad and tragic story.} My deepest condolences to Julissa's family. Kate
What a beautiful, poised and talented gymnast she was. What a tragedy. It is shocking to think that increased safety measures only came in the wake of her death. I was born the same year as Julissa and did gymnastics from the age of 7 till 9. The vault terrified me. My heart goes out to her family.
What a beautiful girl respect for her and her family - this is the first time I have heard or seen her this fine young lady was brilliant at what she did 👏 rest in peace ❤
I'm the exact same age as she is. She was doing incredible things at 16. Representing the USA in Japan!!! I was learning to drive. Lol. Such a tragic ending at such a young age. I'm so sorry to the family. RIP Julissa.
Oh, this is heartbreaking. I am so glad obvious safety measures are now in place. This is still a very dangerous sport. ETA: That was Bela Karoli (sp?) at the end right?
that Vault was still new at that time only introduced at the 1983 World Championships by Natalia Yurchenko of Soviet Union and its gotten more popular over the years and had several updated versions named after other Gymnasts including the double pike named after Simone Biles in each quad there are 3 world Championships one isn't held in the Olympic year
I'm so sorry this happened to her. I can tell she was very talented. One time in PE class in high school, i could have easily broken my neck. I fell forward, and my head was in a bad position. I don't remember a whole lot else about it.
I hope her family sued what a shame she was perfect and beautiful they work these gymnasts to the core😮😢 but don't bother to check the equipment how stupid is that
The one thing that always gets me is that the “Experts” know the dangers that may occur but yet, especially in sports involving young athletes. they always seem to wait until someone get seriously injured before realizing more safety measures need to be put in place. I’ve lost count as to how many times in every sport how often this has happened.
I read about her story in Little Girls in Pretty Boxes. I was a gymnast myself at the time and only remember hearing about Christy Henrich. It’s terrible what happened to her, Elena Mukhina being the other tragic event.
Its so sad that this talent young lady is gone just as it was beginning. RIP Julissa 🙏🏻. Its a shame thise accident have to happen before anything is done.
Julissa Gomez was a very talented young lady, with a ballerina-like grace. I wonder what could have happened had she not been hurt, and made it to the Olympics that summer. But then to have her life as she knew it end at just fifteen years of age, and spend the remaining three years of her life in a vegetative state. . .it's all just so heartbreaking! I can't imagine the anguish her poor family went through. It's a shame that it took her injury and eventual death for safety measures to be implemented at gymnastics competitions!
It’s neat that there is footage of her performing a GORGEOUS yurchenko pike in this video. it is a very sad commentary on. FIG from that period that safety didn’t become their #1 priority immediately after Mukhina’s injury.
That beam alone is a killer just looking at it, sends shivers t u heart An i used t be a gymnast albeit at amateur level cos I decided t go into journalism at 18 etc
I was Julissa's teammate in San Antonio, Texas. She was 9 when I quit gymnastics, a quiet girl with loads of talent. It was wonderful to see what a beautiful gymnast she grew up to be. My former coach called me when she died and I was shocked and saddened. I am glad there is more safety measures taken now.
@@alisonrusso-yj5pu Why? It would have been at the local/state level, not olympic.
@@alisonrusso-yj5puwhat exactly is so unbelievable about it?
@@alisonrusso-yj5pu yeah you could’ve just kept your opinion to yourself 😂
I'm so sorry about your teammate.😢
So painful 😢
What makes these incredibly tragic story even more sad.. how quickly Julissa was forgotten. Her medical status was not ever reported honestly until her passing, and because she wasn't THEE champion, Julissa's name was all but forgotten with the next wave of elite gymnasts to make the national team.
She should have been honored, her name known by every fan of women's artistic gymnastics... instead, she has been forgotten.
Very sad
I don’t disagree. We have to remember this happened at a time where coaches would tell gymnasts that they’re not trying enough; they’re not really hurt; they’re eating too much (when in reality most were starving themselves). In addition, coaches told gymnasts they had to do the Yurchenko vault if they wanted to make the Olympic team. It was a vault that had at the time only been used in competition for about six years. Tracee Talavera was one of the first US gymnasts to do the vault. Now overnight, coaches were working gymnasts into overdrive to learn and master the vault; whereas Yurchenko worked for years to master it and debut it at the world level.
In addition, Julissa’s accident happened as the world was getting ready for the summer Olympics. A story like this would have put a dark cloud over the sport and be distracting to gymnasts. The point: USA Gymnastics had already mastered the art of covering up what was really happening.
Indeed. Julissa should never have been forgotten. I understand that the Olympic Committee didn’t want to have the death of a gymnast to put a dark shadow over the Olympics that year, but making it seem like she didn’t matter was wrong. Can you imagine if this had happened DURING the summer Olympics?!
@@ultimatewitcherfan6677 I presume her death was in some way linked to her accident?
@@moiraatkinson She tripped and rammed the horse head first. She died from her injuries in hospital. So yes, she died as a result of the accident
@@ultimatewitcherfan6677 thanks - she must have been in hospital a long time I guess. The accident happened in May I gathered from the video, yet her death was in August. Only 18 years old! Very tragic.
And to think people were actually angry and calling Simine Biles a loser and quitter for bowing out at the Olympics, which ironically enough were held in Japan. Julissa and Elena Mukhina are why it's dangerous to engage in this sport without being property prepared and in the right head space.
Well said
And also, why coaches shouldn’t be allowed to push gymnasts into dangerous moves they aren’t ready for, just to try and score points which lead to more medals for the country concerned. I know accidents will always happen, but they shouldn’t happen because children are forced into hours of practice resulting in injuries which aren’t given time to properly heal and forced into dangerous moves. If the gymnast is reluctant to do something, that should be the end of the matter. I do also wonder where parents are at times. If my child complained of a bullying coach, I’d go and watch every session. Or enough sessions anyway and I’d pull the gymnast out of practice if I thought more recovery was needed.
Elena Mukhina had no parents though, she was being raised by her grandmother. It was definitely her coach pushing her and refusing to accept the fact that her leg hadn't healed. He forced her to do a very dangerous move, simply for the sake of medals.
@@moiraatkinsonthe Thomas Salto was very dangerous no matter how prepared the gymnast was. They banned it for women and then finally for men too.
@@moiraatkinsonand I don't think think that any parents complained at that time. It was a different system in a different time. Coaches had complete control and parents wouldn't even think to complain. Much like the figure skating system. The school system was much the same. Teachers had carte blanche to do whatever they chose to do to students and if any parents did complain, they quickly learned that their complaints fell on deaf ears.
What an absolutely lovely performer…she looks like she’s FLOATING on beam and floor. Artistry + powerful acrobatics!
Didn't know this until, now.🙏🏽🙏🏽
Agreed she floated.. I wish they would.go back to the balance eleme ts of balance beam! So elegant
@@Anne_B. Nah cuz they were all starving back then.
@@andream9470 o didn't say go back to the time period..I said the elements of balance in the balance beam..nowmits become just another tumbling run
That is the saddest story I’ve heard. After all the work and dedication and in a split second it’s all over. She died at 18. That is just tragic😭
There are several others, a Soviet gymnast was paralyzed right before Olympics as her coaches forced her to do a trick she wants ready for , also she was hurt and recovering at the time. Another Chinese gymnast was paralyzed on beam , so sad
Tomorrow is promised no one.
definitely in gymnastics it can be over in a split second... i sometimes thank gymnastics for the ability it made me learn how to fall ...
Also a Canadian who was asked to do a dangerous (and never before completed) move on the bars paralyzed at 14. She’s a successful businesswoman now but as you can imagine her life completely changed.
@@mrjforall young gymnasts are so easily exploited though. They are brought into the sport when they are still too young to make their own decisions and can be pressured and pushed beyond their limits. To lose a life or limb so young, so unnecessarily is a tragedy.
I first learned about Julissa whe I read the book "little girls in pretty boxes"in the late 90s. There was a whole chapter written about her and the accident. It was said that she never truly mastered the Yurchenko vault and couldn't perform it with any consistency even during practice. But in the 80s everyone had to try to to learn this vault fast to keep pace with the soviets. She was a beautiful, elegant gymnast. Rest in peace Julissa!
I have this book.
I remember reading that book as well and the incident stayed with me for years!
I was a gymnastics coach in Texas when this happened. Yurchenkos were still new at the time, and it was shocking to me whenever I’d go to a competition and witness frighteningly unprepared athletes attempting skills like this one, “led” by coaches who most likely had never taken an anatomy class, a psychology class, a biomechanics class or anything along these lines - all gambling for an extra tenth of a point. I can look back all these years later with a clear conscience, knowing that I NEVER put any of my athletes in harm’s way like that. Those with whom I’m still in touch often express gratitude, saying that they can look back now and see that they were in a healthy environment, and the only memories they have about their gymnastics days are all good. Although incredibly slowly and often incompetently, USA Gymnastics is at least understanding that there needs to be some legitimate education out there. RIP, Julissa, knowing that - although much too late - your story has played a major role in the lives of so many innocent kids today. I’m so sorry the cost.
@mypersonalstuff8456 does that attitude of medals over safety come from the Károlyis who moved to the US to train gymnasts? Or is it unrelated?
@@robynzelickson6164 Yes, it does. Béla Károlyi was known for his brutal training methods and his medals over safety attitude. He often said that winning medals justified the brutal training. He would often limit his gymnasts’ food intake to a meager 900 calories per day. If one of his gymnasts got hurt, he didn’t even care. He would use intimidation to make them do as they were told. In the 80s, a lot of gymnastics coaches used his brutal training methods.
@ultimatewitcherfan6677 omg, that's really terrible then! I thought they might not care so much if one of their gymnasts got hurt. I've seen the clip of Kerri Strug doing a second vault even though she was already hurt because he said she had to. But restricting an athlete to a 900 calorie a day diet?? That's abusive! No wonder they were all so thin!
@@robynzelickson6164 Yeah. A lot of the gymnasts trained by the Károlyis developed eating disorders because of it
@@ultimatewitcherfan6677 yes that makes complete sense. Between the risky choreo and the starvation diets, no one was caring for these girls' well-being. It's no wonder that so many of them got hurt. They were built like little waifs. It's good that an athletic build is more the accepted look now.
Thanks that you did not show the accident. Respect for her memory. Poor girl.
I don't know if there's actually footage of the accident available to show. The footage in this video come from clips that her sister has uploaded to TH-cam over the years. Sometimes it seems like the gymnastics community has completely forgotten Julissa, so her sister uploaded her family's home videos to try to keep her memory alive.
Agreed!! I paused the video as soon as I read the description of her accident and considered turning it off. Instead, I scrolled forwards to avoid it. I was relieved to see nothing but clips of her beautiful gymnastics playing. It hurts my heart to see pictures or videos of any kind of accident in which a life was lost. I've always been very sensitive to that. When I was 18, one of my best friends committed suicide in a public place and his standoff with a negotiator was aired live. I actually walked in the room where my parents were watching TV, heard something about police trying to get a suicidal guy to surrender, not knowing it was my dear friend, and walked back out of the room because I had a sickening feeling. My parents were mortified when hours later, his name was released and some insensitive images were shown. Flashes of the scene of an accident in which a beloved classmate died still haunt me.
A couple of yrs ago, the father of my child died in a horrible freak accident (he was in a bank parking lot, headed back to his car, when he was struck by a vehicle that flew off the main road). I avoided the news for weeks, for fear they'd show something. I was relieved to hear that no images were released. I'm extra grateful, because not only would that have broken me to pieces, but worse: our daughter would have found it by now.
Julissa was a stunning gymnast, far too young when she died. Her story really is tragic. 😢
There is no video of it.
There was only one person who got video of it and after an investigation, the tape was said to be destroyed.
There is no footage available of the accident. It was destroyed after shown to the doctors.
Gymnastic ELEGANCE at its finest! Very unfortunate ending for Ms. Gomez, her family, and the gymnastic world. So grateful that her beauty was captured on video!
This is so tragic. RIP beautiful Julissa. Your grace and contribution to gymnastics will never be forgotten ❤
It’s a shame that safety couldn’t be considered until AFTER a young girl lost her life.
Sadly that’s it always seems to go. 😢 💔
It's always after the fact saragrant9749 that things get done.
Health & Safety wasn't such a big deal back then.
As the saying goes, "Safety regulations are written in blood".
Some mistakes need to happen in order to learn from them. The history of humanity is full to the brim with many examples in many different areas.
In memory of Julissa! I competed with her, she was just a most beautiful gymnast and person.
Too bad thise "safety" measures didn't include protecting them from sexual predators.
Their mothers should have been more involved with protecting them from those grown men instead of pushing for medals.
ITS AMERICA......we dont protect women and children. Never have never will. hell they never even ratified the ERA
I don't understand. Gymnasts are supposedly strong yet their easy prey for predators. ?????
@@mrjforall participating in sport contests and being attacked by someone are totally different things. In contests you KNOW what's gonna happen. You don't know what your attacker is capable of, no matter how experienced or strong you are. They could kill you on the spot if you make a wrong step. In contests you play by the rules. Abusers only know how to play dirty.
@@mrjforall Also we all have our weak spots. One can be physically strong, but emotionally or mentally vulnerable. Abusers will always take advantage of others' weaknesses. Not all can fight back.
She was a former Karolyi gymnast. In this film she has the Karolyi Leo on and you see Bela coaching her. She left the Karolyi’s and it wasn’t 6 months to a year before she sustained her injury in Japan with her new coach. There are other details you will find in other videos as well if you want even more details. I’m so sorry this happened to such an exceptional gymnast and her parents as well. 😢 There have also been even more safety concerns as well on Vault. The Vaulting table is now substantially larger which was also a safety issues addressed. Definitely softer mats should be under and for the dismount mat for all gymnasts. This would help ankle and foot injuries due to repetitive landing plus it would certainly help on surprise landings as well.
In which videos can more details be found?
Shame.What a tragedy.Elena Muknina.Gomez..the list goes on.
Adriana Duffy and Jacoby Miles too, but they both survived and are now paralized for life
How terribly sad, what an elegant young lady she was. 🙏✨️🙌
Her form speaks volumes of a beautiful heart. I’m sure this young lady would not want anyone else to suffer like her and her family and friends have. She should always be remembered as a way maker. Rest in peace
What a talented, beautiful little girl. She was having so much fun in her performance videos. Im so sorry for her loss.
I remember hearing this story when it happened. This is such a sad and tragic story. I appreciate your videos and reminder of what a beautiful young gymnast she was. My prayers go out to her family.
You left out the part where Julissa's oxygen tube came out that night in the hospital, and by the time any medical staff realized it she'd suffered profound brain damage, leaving her in a vegetative state.
Oh no, that’s horrific.
Was that in Japan?
So Japan murders people who are still alive too? That's disappointing. "Brain death", the 'experts' like to call it.
They also left out the video of the actual accident.
@terancetheindomitable9701 there isn't any video available. It was during practice and the only video made was destroyed.
Yet another instance of coaches not listening to the gymnasts! Another tragic and unnecessary loss!
It wasn’t substandard equipment that caused the loss of life.
IYKYK
What a talented and graceful young woman! May God bless your soul, Julissa ♥️🙏🏼🌹💐🌟🪽
Beautiful child. So graceful. God bless this lovely angel.
It's amazing how one can be so strong and limber and seconds later be quadriplegic. It shows how delicate life and mobility truly are. It reminds me of Bruce Lee who at the top of his game in one night died.
Bruce Lee was shot not quite the same. From what I'v'e seen of gymnasts, they have strong arms and legs but not strong necks.
What a beautiful and graceful gymnast. The floor routine at 4:00 omg!! absolutely stunning. So very sad what happened to her.
Fr, she was so good. What a tragedy 😢
she looked so beautiful in that routine - her poise, timing..perfection💖
She must have been about 14 years old here.
Loved Gymnastics all my life ❤ I'm 64
Obviously didn't follow it at this tine as I don't remember the gymnast, but so glad I've seen this video.
How beautifully she moved and what a sad story that dedication ended in her death 💔
Rest in Peace Julissa 🕊️
If the vaulting accident didn’t happen with Julissa, I think she would’ve gone on to be in the 1988 Olympics along with being an inspiration for Latina girls to get interested in gymnastics!
The other tragedy with the vault was 16yo Sang Lan, 1998 New York Goodwill Games, again during practices, someone disturbed the aparatus and she missed a landing, causing her to become paralyzed from chestdown.
Gymnastics is a very risky sport.
I can't watch this. It makes me ill and start to cry. It's heartbreaking to see an athlete hurt and paralyzed especially a little girl (kid).
Isn't this what always happens? Something dreadful always has to happen before safety measures are increased and changes are being made. This is truly one of the most heartbreaking stories I've ever heard. Poor girl had so much talent and would've gone far. RIP Julissa.
This is my first time hearing of julissa and that immensely saddens me. As a former gymnast who was immersed in the culture at a young age in the early and mid 90's I definitely should have heard of her. Especially with the talent she displayed, the form on that girl was insane! I firmly believe she would have blown even Kerri strugg and Simone biles out of the water had she survived to reach her full potential. RIP beautiful Julissa 😢
She was just two years older than I am, and when I think about how much life I have enjoyed since I was 18 years old, it breaks my heart that she never got that chance. Rest in peace ❤🕊️
So glad you made a video about her. There arent many out there.
She was an amazing gymnast. What a tragedy to die at 18! The saddest part is someone in the hospital unplugged her ventilator!! Thats how she lost oxygen and died!! 💔 😢😢 Im lost for words!
The ventilatior wasn’t unplugged intentionally, it got disconnected by accident as far as I know. Why no one noticed it I don’t know 😕 R.I.P. Julissa ❤️
@@mathildewesendonck7225 Perhaps someone didn't want her alive incase she sued them?
I was visiting another gymnast at the facility Julissa was at. She too had an accident on Vault and she as well was an instant quadriplegic. What a coincidence, two quadriplegic injuries from the same sport within days apart of one another. 😢😢😢
In my junior year of HS, a senior gymnast at my school fell while on the balance beam and broke her back. She was able to walk again, but was permanently disabled.
Perhaps it was for the best that the ventilator was or got unplugged. 😢
A wonderful gymnast. Respect to her. She was only a child.
i knew julissa from gage gymnastics, what happened to her is tragic, i am incredibly sorry what happened. she is an outstanding lady, sent tto her parents with love from sherrie hawker
We lost two talented gymnasts off the 1988 Olympics and thier deaths in the early 90's is still a tragedy!
What an elegant and graceful young woman. It is an absolute tragedy she died so young❤🩹
Stunning! 🙌🏼👏🏼🩷
Graceful like a ballet dancer, my favorite style of gymnastics. Your time was cut short, but your contributions to the sport live on through these tapes. I’m glad athletes are more protected than ever on these apparatuses 💔🙏🏼
Omg! How sad I never heard of her before ! 🙏🏾♥️ Thank you for sharing her story
Cried watching this🥺.. taken way too soon .. rest easy beautiful angel .. 🙏🏽❤️🥺.. I know in heaven you are doing what you love best 🤸 ❤🙏🏽
Absolutely God given talent I have no words literally no words amazing body sculpture!!! God bless her and her family💕
To me they are angels.
Resting in Peace in heaven.
Had accomplished their missions.
Looking at these early routines, it’s insane how far this sport has come.
I don't know if I'd say how "far" it's come, like a compliment. It's like watching football players now. No grace, no elegance...
Back when gymnastics was about beauty and artistry and not just banging around.
Julissa was a VERY elegant gymnast. She performed very gracefully. She is beautiful to watch.
Gosh 😢😮so awful
May 5. My mother passed away May 5. I remember this wonderful angel when this happened. These are the stories they fail to mention. RIP angel 💔
She is performing the floor routine from the compulsories at the 1988 Olympics. I love that routine.
Julissa's floor routine is not as "dynamic" as the one Simone Biles performs. Just my opinion on it.
@@nikitab92 The compulsory routine is only supposed to show off certain skills which is why it's not very difficult in terms of like, double layouts or what have you. It is beautiful like the figure skating used to be when they had to actually skate figures in the ice. They don't do that anymore. The 1988 Olympic compulsory routine was done to a lone piano piece, very simple and pretty. My favorite is the layout stepout pass. It is showing artistry rather than being about power. We have lose the grace in gymnastics, it's just gone now. They don't put the bars close enough to do many of the beautiful skills from the 60s and 70s anymore, either. Now it's just all about power and hard tumbling with skills that certainly would break your neck. I'd rather have the gentle and pretty floor exercise than all the Salto's and stuff designed to simply be difficult without looking nice or having any beauty or artistry. Some moves are downright just unpleasant to watch but they're impressive to put the human body through to see the limits. If I wanted just watching daredevils pushing limits, this is not the sport I'd choose.
@@user-dd5eh5lu3o The gymnastics from the 70s and 80s was very graceful, but it also had its problems. Gymnasts weren't allowed to look like women. It's not that nowadays gymnasts aren't being pressured to be thin, but at least you see a wider age and body range now. You don't need to look like a little girl to be good at gymnastics. I like both the graceful gymnastics from before and the powerful gymnastics from today and ideally I'd like the sport to be a combination of both.
Figure skating has really been ruined. Now it's just 50 different ways to spin in a circle. The people who are responsible for the rating the skills can get are really to blame here. They are forcing gymnasts and figure skaters to perform routines that are too similar and not varied enough to be able to get a high score.
What is extra devastating to me is that she was a CHILD when this happened. I could never, as a coach, push a teenager in my care to do a skill they weren't physically capable of doing. That she spent her final years of life in a vegetative state and passed away at only 18 is so devastating. Coaches have to listen to their athletes. I consider myself very competitive, but no 1st place is worth my athlete's safety.
She was an incredibly talented gymnast.
Wow! What a talent! I never knew about this young lady! I was 18 when she died. How incredibly sad. She was so good, but she would undoubtedly have developed to be even greater had she lived.
I love watching this old school style more than the squattiness of the new style. Just personal preference.
Never heard of her. She was one of America's best at the time. Very powerful and graceful. Such a sad, tragic turn of events. Blessed be . . .
RIP Julissa and my best regards to her wonderful family who stood by her side to the end.
How can people be so cruel saying she was a looser they have know ideal what she went through don't judge biles.
She was a phenomenal artist. May she Rest In Peace 🕊️
The vault was not a table back then, it was much more narrow and there wasn’t the U pad around the springboard either. Everything was more dangerous back then, backyard trampolines bounced the kid 6 feet up, it’s not like today. Slides were 2 stories high and metal, no guard rails- kids fell off all the time. Every pool had a diving board, we did all kinds of risky things that aren’t even considered nowadays. Kids may be safer but they also don’t know how to assess risk. That’s why you see them posing for selfies with bison at Yellowstone, lol.
Perhaps the gymnasts assessed risk but were pushed beyond what they were comfotable with by ambitious self-centred coaches?
@@antinatalist9995Agreed.
How sad. What an amazing talent she was. Who knows how far she could have gone.
So very beautiful she was ..such skill and grace..so strong. So sad and tragic..her mom and dad, family and friends are still in our prayers for strength to find solace, comfort and meaning of any kind in life now. 🙏🙏🌼♥️
Yes, her story was tragic, but to say that her legacy of being the inspiration for safer vaulting is a sad thing is to downplay her value. I'll bet her parents are very proud to know, that despite the circumstances, her death has resulted in changes which may have saved the lives of countless athletes since! Thanks to Julissa Gomez...bless you Sweet girl
Sept 12, 2024: Oh my gosh, I had never heard about this little girl before today. {A truly sad and tragic story.} My deepest condolences to Julissa's family. Kate
What a beautiful, poised and talented gymnast she was. What a tragedy. It is shocking to think that increased safety measures only came in the wake of her death. I was born the same year as Julissa and did gymnastics from the age of 7 till 9. The vault terrified me. My heart goes out to her family.
She was so good!
Such beautiful lines!
So sorry Julissa. RIP, God has you in his arms now.
What a beautiful girl respect for her and her family - this is the first time I have heard or seen her this fine young lady was brilliant at what she did 👏 rest in peace ❤
Rest in peace Julissa Gomez
You're one of wonderful talented gymnasts on earth
🙏
thank you for sharing this. Thank You Julissa for sharing your gift with us. You are grace you are beauty you are love
She was so graceful, so incredibly talented. Such a huge loss. :(
How sad. She had such beautiful suspension.
The music is too much and too loud. Very sad story though.
Can you do a video on Christy Hendrich???
She was so graceful and elegant.
Julissa had such BEAUTIFUL GRACE when She performed....she was an EXCELLENT GYMNAST.....RIP PRECIOUS JULISSA🙏♥️!!
She certainly was wonderful. My sincerest condolences to her family and friends. ❤
I'm the exact same age as she is. She was doing incredible things at 16. Representing the USA in Japan!!! I was learning to drive. Lol. Such a tragic ending at such a young age. I'm so sorry to the family. RIP Julissa.
Oh, this is heartbreaking. I am so glad obvious safety measures are now in place. This is still a very dangerous sport. ETA: That was Bela Karoli (sp?) at the end right?
Rip Julissa 🌸🌸🌸 so heartbreaking 💔
I am at a loss for words. I have a lump in my throat .
that Vault was still new at that time only introduced at the 1983 World Championships by Natalia Yurchenko of Soviet Union and its gotten more popular over the years and had several updated versions named after other Gymnasts including the double pike named after Simone Biles in each quad there are 3 world Championships one isn't held in the Olympic year
Mmm.Again a Russian..small wonder not safe.
She's got the beautiful Comaneci's style, my favorite of all time. Yeah, I'm quite sure she would have become a star. RIP Julissa.
I'm so sorry this happened to her. I can tell she was very talented. One time in PE class in high school, i could have easily broken my neck. I fell forward, and my head was in a bad position. I don't remember a whole lot else about it.
I hope her family sued what a shame she was perfect and beautiful they work these gymnasts to the core😮😢 but don't bother to check the equipment how stupid is that
Julissa is beautiful to watch..., yet it is achingly sad at the same time.
Such a tradgedy..
RIP. Julissa..
😢 🌹🌹💐💞
The one thing that always gets me is that the “Experts” know the dangers that may occur but yet, especially in sports involving young athletes. they always seem to wait until someone get seriously injured before realizing more safety measures need to be put in place. I’ve lost count as to how many times in every sport how often this has happened.
I read about her story in Little Girls in Pretty Boxes. I was a gymnast myself at the time and only remember hearing about Christy Henrich. It’s terrible what happened to her, Elena Mukhina being the other tragic event.
Its so sad that this talent young lady is gone just as it was beginning. RIP Julissa 🙏🏻. Its a shame thise accident have to happen before anything is done.
4:30 wow! the speed and power of that run up!!!
She is THE most graceful gymnast I have ever seen.
Julissa Gomez was a very talented young lady, with a ballerina-like grace. I wonder what could have happened had she not been hurt, and made it to the Olympics that summer. But then to have her life as she knew it end at just fifteen years of age, and spend the remaining three years of her life in a vegetative state. . .it's all just so heartbreaking! I can't imagine the anguish her poor family went through. It's a shame that it took her injury and eventual death for safety measures to be implemented at gymnastics competitions!
I never have heard of this before so sad. 😢
Heartbreaking.
If there had been a safety mat in place wiuld she have not had the accident?
I also notice the vaulting horse is a different shape to what I remember as a kid .......wider with more padding.....It looks a lot safer.
I am interested in watching this video but the background music is louder than the narration
It’s neat that there is footage of her performing a GORGEOUS yurchenko pike in this video. it is a very sad commentary on. FIG from that period that safety didn’t become their #1 priority immediately after Mukhina’s injury.
What an incredible , elegant gymnast, very sad
How very unfair life can be
That beam alone is a killer just looking at it, sends shivers t u heart
An i used t be a gymnast albeit at amateur level cos I decided t go into journalism at 18 etc
Rest in peace Angel
Beautiful tribute.
Beautiful angel 😢😢😢
Es un ángel, no la olvidemos nunca 💝