Bridget Namiotka, the famous American figure skater, passed away this past July. Her parents have confirmed the details surrounding her death. Read on to know how did Bridget Namiotka die, what happened to her, and what was the cause of her death.
Namiotka had accused her late pairs skating partner, John Coughlin, of sexual abuse after he took his own life in 2019. Coughlin also had other accusations of inappropriate behavior with minors and sexual assault.
Who was Bridget Namiotka?
Born on January 3, 1990, Bridget Namiotka was an American pair skater and the daughter of Steve and Maureen Namiotka. She began to learn skating in 1997 at the age of just seven. In 2003, she placed fifth in novice pairs at the U.S. Championships partnering with Alex Merritt.
She started teaming up with John Coughlin in late 2004. The duo won three medals in the ISU Junior Grand Prix series including a Gold in Croatia. They were placed fourth at the 2006 and 2006 World Junior Championships.
In 2007, they announced the end of their partnership. Several years later, Namiotka accused Coughlin of sexual assault.
How did Bridget Namiotka die ?
Bridget Namiotka died on July 25, 2022, following her long struggles with addiction after a traumatizing past. She passed away at the age of 32. Her parents recently confirmed the details of Bridget Namiotka’s death in an interview with USA Today Sports.
“Bridget succumbed to her long struggles with addiction after several very difficult years of dealing with the trauma of sexual abuse,” her parents Steve and Maureen Namiotka said.
“She was a beautiful child and a wonderful athlete, and we are heartbroken. It is our hope that Bridget’s death will bring new attention to the terrible effects of sexual abuse and addiction in our society.”
Bridget Namiotka dead at 32: What was the cause of her death?
Bridget Namiotka’s parents confirmed that the skater died following her struggles with drug addiction after years of dealing with the trauma of sexual abuse. However, they didn’t reveal the specific cause and manner of her death.
Netizens are speculating that Bridget took her own life while some believe that she died after an accidental drug overdose. However, nothing is certain at this moment.
Bridget Namiotka also suffered from pancreatitis, which is the inflammation of the pancreas. It’s possible that the condition played a role in her untimely death. We’ll keep you posted when more information is released.
Bridget Namiotka Accused John Coughlin of Sexual Assault
Bridget Namiotka accused John Coughlin of sexually assaulting her when she was just a teenager. She made the accusations after Coughlin died by suicide in 2019 following an interim suspension from the U.S. Center for SafeSport.
Namiotka announced the accusations against Coughlin in a Facebook post on May 19, 2019. She stated that she was sexually abused for two years by Coughlin, her pairs partner, when she was a teenager.
She also replied to a Facebook post supporting Coughlin and wrote, “I’m sorry but John (sic) hurt at least 10 people including me. He sexually abused me for 2 years.”
Namiotka followed up with more Facebook posts. “Grooming happens. It happened to me and he hurt a lot of girls. Think about the victims,” she wrote in a post.
The two skated together when Namiotka was between the ages of 14 and 17. Coughlin was four years senior to her.
Who was John Coughlin?
John Patrick Coughlin was an American figure skater born on December 1, 1985. He was the 2012 Four Continents silver medalist and the 2012 U.S. national champion with Caydee Denney. He also won the 2011 U.S. Champion with Caitlin Yankowskas.
Coughlin faced accusations of sexual assault by multiple girls whom he partnered with and her colleagues. He received an interim suspension from the U.S. Center for SafeSport due to accusations. However, he called the accusations false.
On January 18, 2019, John Coughlin took his own life when he hanged himself in his father’s Kansas City home.
After his death, Bridget Namiotka also accused her of sexually assaulting her. He was also accused of sexual assault by Ashley Wagner, who was the most successful U.S. female skater of her era.
That’s all for the story. Our heart goes out to Namiotka’s parents. May the departed soul rest easy in a better world.