Read more about Lolo Jones and Lesley Ann Brandt
The most harrowing stories can be hidden under a seemingly glittering record. Lolo Jones, who was the winner of the USA and the World Championships for hurdle events in 2013, only achieved this feat by putting in a lot of work and perseverance. Jones, who was born to a motherless family that included five kids living suffering from poverty and hardships as a child, had an incredibly difficult childhood. Her mother was always moving around as well as having resided in the basement of a church for a period of time. A life of constant movement forced Jones to change schools and attend an entirely new school each year, until she began in high school. In Theodore Roosevelt High School, Jones was separated from her mother to pursue her passion for the track and field events. Jones lived with four different families to keep her study focused. Jones, a cellist in the school's orchestra, and the winner of the Gatorade Iowa track and field athlete of the year won her an award called the Ga...