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The survivors of the Larry Nassar sex abuse scandal honored at the ESPY Awards

Posted at 8:56 PM, Jul 16, 2018
and last updated 2018-07-19 08:08:16-04

An amazing group of people were honored at the ESPY's, which stands for excellence in sports yearly.

This year, the awards went well beyond sports.

Sharing the spotlight with the likes of Serena Williams and Tom Brady are the Parkland School shooting victims and the women who brought down MSU's Dr. Larry Nassar.

Carolyn Clifford sat down with two of the women who are part of the 150 being honored at the ESPY's with the Arthur Ashe ESPY Award for Courage.

Trinea Gonczar is 37, but she still has fond memories of the Junior Olympics as a gymnast, but there's also the dark side.

The Larry Nassar sex abuse scandal.

Nassar was more than her doctor and trainer; he was a family friend for 31 years.

Talking about it still makes her break down in tears.

Trinea Gonczar says, " it's still hard, there are days that suck, some days that are better, and some days I wonder 'Is this my life'.'

Trinea is moving forward.

Trinea Gonczar says, "I've come a long way like really a long way."

She is married, expecting her first child and bummed her pregnancy will keep her from sharing the stage at the ESPY's with 150 sex abuse survivors all being honored with the Arthur Ashe Courage Award for their bravery coming forward and speaking out against Nassar.

Trinea Gonczar says, "now we are being recognized for being courageous and for winning now we have a little extra money to keep pushing forward."

And that means healing. When asked whether or not she would let her son or daughter do gymnastics she quickly told me yes because she says she still loves the sport which is the love of her life.

Trinea is now working at a nonprofit which helps assault victims.

Advocacy work is also helping 18-year-old Morgan McCaul. She just finished her first year in college. As a child, she had dreams of becoming a professional dancer.

She saw Nassar at age 12 after ripping both of her hip flexors. She says she could not walk or dance and was referred to Dr. Larry Nassar. The abuse would go on for three years.

Carolyn Clifford asks Morgan, "What would you say to a young Morgan?"  Morgan McCaul says, "I would have said trust your gut, deep down I knew something was wrong."

Now with Nassar in prison for life, this future lawyer stands proud fighting for change in Michigan's capital and representing those too fearful to come forward on stage at the ESPY Awards. Her message.

Morgan McCaul says, "first I would say thank you because what they're doing is an amazing opportunity they're giving us a remarkable platform, and you are enough, capable of something and you have a group of people who will fight along side you for what's right."

Trinea and Morgan, say the fight is not over, with Nassar in prison, they want real change in policy, laws and they want those who enabled Nassar's behavior to be held accountable.