Clarissa Saunders, the mother of shot put silver medalist Raven Saunders, died on Tuesday morning, days after watching her daughter win her first Olympic medal.
Her mother was in Orlando to attend Tokyo 2020 watch parties for the families of Team USA athletes, where she watched Saunders win silver in the shot put on Sunday along with her other daughter, Tanzania. The cause of death is unknown.
The death was confirmed to The (Charleston, S.C.) Post and Courier by her longtime coach and father figure, Herbert Johnson. Saunders later tweeted that she would be taking a break from social media to focus on her mental health and her family.
“Hoping (sic) off social media for a while to take care of my mental and my family. My mama was a great woman and will forever live through me. My number one guardian angel I will always and forever love you,” Saunders wrote.
Saunders made an Instagram post on Mother’s Day earlier this year recognizing her mother for showing her strength, relentlessness, determination and the ability to “push through anything.”
“You’ve given me life and shown me love and for that I owe you everything. Happy Mother’s Day to the number one woman in my life. I love you and thank you for being a great mother!!!!” the post read.
Saunders has been open about her mental health struggles, saying that in January 2018, just a year-and-a-half after finishing fifth at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, she contemplated taking her own life before connecting with her therapist.
USA Track & Field also tweeted a message of support to the Saunders family.
“The USOPC & USATF would like to offer Raven our most sincere condolences. Her mother leaves behind an incredible legacy in her daughter for who we are so proud and grateful to call our teammate. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Saunders family during this difficult time,” they wrote.
Saunders’ silver medal win was followed by her raising an “X” on the medal podium as a sign of protest, which the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee said was “respectful of her competitors and did not violate our rules related to demonstration.”
Follow Jordan Mendoza on Twitter: @jord_mendoza.
