An Olympic wrestler whose joy at winning gold in Tokyo touched the hearts of millions spoke on Wednesday night about her love for the United States – and how she planned to thank her mother.
Tamyra Mensah-Stock, 28, became the first female African-American to win gold in wrestling, and the second female American.
The Chicago-born athlete, now based in Texas, was overcome with emotion in Tokyo, telling viewers at home: ‘I love representing the U.S.
‘I freaking love living there.
‘I love it, and I’m so happy I get to represent U-S-A!’
Asked by Sean Hannity where her love of country came from, Mensah-Stock credited her parents.
Tamyra Mensah-Stock is pictured after defeating Nigeria to win gold in the women’s 68kg medal match on August 3. She is the first African American woman to win a wrestling gold, and only the second ever woman to triumph in the Olympic wrestling
Mensah-Stock on Wednesday night told Hannity about her joy in representing the USA
Her father Prince Mensah migrated to the U.S. when he was 30, and met her mother, Shonda Wells.
‘My mom raised us to be respectful, my dad was an immigrant, and he came from Ghana,’ she said.
‘He came to America and he made a way for himself, he had a whole bunch of businesses. He made something out of nothing.
‘I just know that if you go out and get what you want, nothing can stop you.
‘So I guess just from those kind of parents in my life, I just have love for my country.’
Mensah-Stock’s attitude stands in stark contrast to fellow Olympians Gwen Berry and Raven Saunders, both of whom staged protests during the Games.
Berry, a 31-year-old hammer thrower, staged a high-profile protest during the Olympic trials on June 26 – turning to face the stands, putting her hands on her hips and then holding up a t-shirt bearing the words ‘athlete activist’.
Shot putter Raven Saunders raised her arms above her head on the podium and formed an ‘X’ with her wrists as she claimed her silver medal.
The 25-year-old American explained the crossing of her wrists as ‘the intersection of where all people who are oppressed meet’.
While the anthem played at the June 26 trials in Eugene, Oregon , Gwen Berry (left) placed her left hand on her hip and shuffled her feet before turning away toward the stands
Raven Saunders, of the United States, poses with her silver medal on women’s shot put at the Tokyo Olympics
Her mother, Shonda Wells, has supported her along the way, including in the aftermath of her father’s death
Mensah-Stock is pictured competing in Tokyo, in the final
She said that she hopes her victory inspires other black girls to take up the sport, telling them the sacrifices and training was worth it
Mensah-Stock’s father died in 2009 in a car crash, falling asleep at the wheel when driving home after watching her compete.
After his death, she considered giving up wrestling, blaming it for taking her father away.
‘I wanted to stop so many times because I felt like all this pain wasn’t worth it,’ she admitted to Team USA.
She said that her mother turned to cooking to support the family.
‘She’s always doing back-breaking work and I’ve just seen her struggling ever since my dad died, and I don’t like seeing it,’ she told People, saying that she vowed to help.
‘I made a promise to her, and she loves cooking. It’s just one of her passions.’
Mensah-Stock told Hannity that she was thrilled to be able to help.
Mensah-Stock said her mother was planning on driving her food truck around Texas, and perhaps beyond
She joined her twin sister in wrestling after getting bullied by her track teammates. At first, she hated it, complaining that people were sweating all over her
Mensah-Stock is pictured with her mother and her twin sister, who encouraged her to get in to wrestling
She had intended to donate her $37,500 winnings to buy her mother a food truck – but the owner of Cruising Kitchens – the largest manufacturer of mobile assets in the world – heard the story and donated a food truck from their collection.
‘I did my research on her and fell in love with the person she was,’ said Cameron Davies, owner of Cruising Kitchens.
His team will design, build and donate a $250,000 food truck for Wells.
Mensah-Stock told Hannity that she was overwhelmed.
‘Giving all glory to God, I greatly appreciate that I’m even able to be in the position to provide my mom the food truck of her dreams,’ she said.
‘A little surprised, there was actually something that came out that surprised her on a different station. Somebody is actually buying my mom a food truck and making it from scratch.
‘So she is about to be getting a hefty sum for her food truck, it’s going to be the food truck of her dreams.’
Mensah-Stock said it was going to be called P’Lickles Finest.
‘She wants to make African food, and sweets, and barbecue.
‘Right now it’s going to be being made in San Antonio, Texas, and she loves cooking in Houston, because she has a little hot spots she loves to, where she had her pit on wheels.
‘She might want to travel all over the country, who knows?
‘She’s been provided with the food truck of her dreams or she can go wherever and do whatever. I’m extremely excited for her.’
