Food, alcohol, drugs, sex, cigarettes — these were the ways Haley Morrone used to deal with her trauma. “Pretty much any bad behavior that I could find is what I was kind of reaching for,” Morrone says.
When Morrone was 10, her family discovered she was being sexually abused by her grandfather. The abuse had gone undetected for years. During the police interviews and therapy, everything came to the surface. That’s when she really started struggling to find healthy ways to cope.
“I’ve always wanted to be an active person,” Morrone says. But weight gain paired with smoking and asthma made physical activity a challenge. “I would be out of breath just walking up the stairs,” she recalls.
The turning point in Morrone’s life centers on a two-part love story: In part one, she met her husband Joe. In part two, she started CrossFit and she and Joe opened Converse CrossFit in Converse, Texas.
As an affiliate owner and trainer, Morrone says, “I had the opportunity now to take my personal experience and help others who really need it.”
Her experiences have taught her that many who struggle with their physical appearance or capabilities are dealing with trauma. “Everyone has a story,” she says.
“Having a place where people can come and not just being judged on their physical capabilities but also giving a place to heal mentally and emotionally is what I wanted to foster, and I think CrossFit does that.”
“I just want to be that hand reaching out for anybody who feels like they’re hopeless.”
Haley Morrone: Finding Her Place