Angela Lee has returned to the spotlight this week to share an important message.
The ONE women’s atomweight MMA world champion has been away from competition as she mourns the passing of her sister, Victoria, in December.
Lee revealed in a recent video that the 18-year-old MMA star’s tragic passing was a suicide, and she offered advice for anyone struggling with mental health while speaking with Daniel Cormier on ESPN MMA.
“I really believe that mental health is something that affects every single one of us, and we each deal with it in our own unique ways. And, you know, it’s a spectrum. But I think that it’s important to come out and talk more about it because creating that environment where communication is open and safe and you feel okay to talk about what you’re going through,” she said.
“Because, you know, life is full of ups and downs, and when you hit a low, it can be really helpful. If you know that you can open up and have someone to talk to about it.”
Lee was involved in a car accident just before a scheduled world title defense against Mei Yamaguchi in 2017. At the time, it was reported that she had fallen asleep at the wheel while on the way to the gym, but the 27-year-old superstar revealed this week that it was, in fact, an attempt to take her own life.
Spurred on by her own mental health struggles and the loss of her younger sister, the fighter known as “Unstoppable” has recently founded “Fightstory” – a not-for-profit organization through which she will share the mental health stories of fighters to bring hope to those who are struggling.
“I really believe that everything happens in life for a reason, and maybe the reason of what happened in my life, becoming a world champion and getting to where I am today, was only to put me in this position: Creating Fightstory. This non-profit,” she said.
“Maybe I had to go through that, so I can relate to others who are currently struggling because it’s really, really hard to try to understand and put yourself in someone else’s shoes who’s going through a really tough time mentally. If you haven’t experienced it, you just can’t, you know? And so, for me, I feel like everything that’s happened in my life has brought me to where I am today.”
While Lee has put her career on hold in 2023, she is poised to make an announcement on her future at ONE Fight Night 14 on Prime Video. The interim atomweight MMA strap will be on the line in the main event of the September 29 card, with top contenders Stamp Fairtex and Seo Hee Ham competing for the gold.
Whatever way the longtime divisional queen chooses to go with her fighting career, she believes that the challenges she has faced have shown her that her true purpose in life lies outside of the ONE circle.
“It’s hard. It’s really hard, you know? But I realized now that, you know, my purpose in life is so much greater than just winning championships and winning fights. You know, it’s saving lives, helping people. And, for me, I’m really grateful to have found that,” Lee said.
