Malika Andrews Credits Paris Hilton for Paving the Way After Being Praised for Sharing Her Story

ESPN reporter Malika Andrews has risen through the ranks quickly to become one of the most prominent faces in the mainstream sports industry. However, her journey was mired with roadblocks that could have easily drawn her away from her path. In a powerful piece on her journey published by People, Andrews poured her heart out. She disclosed how the chain of trauma as a teenager almost stifled her long-term prospects.

Her perilous Odyssey to fame also struck a chord with well-known socialite Paris Hilton. She ended up sharing the People article telling the journalist’s story on her X page.

In the article, Andrews’ long-term bouts with depression have been well-highlighted. Her eating disorders paved the way for body image issues that plague her to this day.

However, things were way worse in her early teenage years. Owing to her angry outbursts stemming from depression, Andrews was sent to a psych ward, where her issues became even worse as she started to cut herself.

While recalling her mental health issues during that period, Andrews told People, “I didn’t know how to live in my own skin.” Then after a failed attempt at an eating disorder program, she had to undergo residential treatment in Utah for three years, which involved rigorous training on meager means. 

The training camps in Utah battered her to no end. A small mistake like leaving more than six spots of dust after sweeping the floor meant that her access to phone calls was cut. However, she survived the training and during the last year of the treatment also found a safe abode in horses.

She discovered that love for horses coupled with horse-riding sessions eased her troubles. To this day, spending time with horses gives great comfort to the 29-year-old. Such heart-rending stories show Andrews’ iron-willed nature, something that can inspire people to tackle mental health issues.

Considering her own experience with trauma and mental distress, Paris Hilton was touched by Andrews’ courage to share her vulnerabilities publicly. On her X, while sharing the link to the People article, Hilton expressed gratitude towards the ESPN analyst, “#iseeyousurvivor @malika_andrews Thank you for telling your story and #BreakingCodeSilence”.

Andrews replied by acknowledging Hilton’s contributions as a fearless public speaker. She wrote, “Your bravery paved the way.”

It can be argued that Paris Hilton was indeed the harbinger of the social media influencer era before the term was registered in the public domain. In fact, she has been dubbed as the “original influencer”.

While she garnered fame for her style coupled with a non-apologetic attitude, Hilton also became an advocate for mental health issues. Thus, both women found mutual admiration for helping normalizing the narratives around mental health struggles in the public eye.