An Athlete's Silence | John-Michael Lander | TEDxDayton

       John-Michael Lander shares his personal story of growing up as an elite athlete who was sexually abused and the impact that has had on his adult life. John-Michael Lander has had a diverse background in theatre, television, films, and education since winning two gold medals in springboard and platform diving for the United States in Tønsberg, Norway. He taught at Stivers School for the Arts for seven years and has written three novels. The first, Surface Tension (2017), explores the year he prepared for the World Games. Spandau Ballet and Life’s a Beach were released this summer. His biggest accomplishment is sharing his life with Nathan Webber and their two Boston Terriers, Bella and Barkley. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community.