McKayla Maroney Breaks Silence Over Sexual Assault and Father’s Death With First Instagram in 2 Years

McKayla Maroney came back to Instagram for the first time since 2017 with a bombshell post. The former Olympic gymnast promised to open up about her father's death and sexual assault in the future. Maroney, 23, included a few selfies to go with the message.

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A post shared by McKayla Maroney (@mckaylamaroney) on Sep 28, 2019 at 12:36pm PDT

"Missed u guys... last few years a lots happened [with] the #MeToo movement, and losing my dad very unexpectedly," Maroney wrote on Saturday. "I'll definitely talk about it more, but for now I'll just say that even on the worst days, i knew i had so much to be thankful for. i have the most supportive family, and friends, and u guys are part of that. blessed to have u, and happy to be back."

On Sunday, she assured fans it would not be a short-lived return by sharing some Instagram Story posts showing herself dancing with a friend.

This was Maroney's first post on Instagram since Sept. 2, 2017, but she was active on Twitter until 2018. She returned to Twitter on Aug. 8. with a photo of herself leaning against a car, writing: "I don't ever think twice when it feels right."

don't regret the things that made you strong

— mckayla (@McKaylaMaroney) September 28, 2019

On Sept. 24, she tweeted, "hold on tightly to what ur grateful for."

She also posted other inspiring messages there, including one on Saturday. "Don't regret the things that made you strong," she wrote.

Maroney did turn to Instagram in January after her father, Mike Maroney, died at age 59. However, that post has since been deleted.

"Dad you taught me everything from how to walk to how to be a man and for that I thank you," Maroney wrote at the time. "Thank you for getting up at 4:30am for work and not coming home till 7 pm every day for more than 20 years just to keep food on the table, and for us to have a great life. I'm the man of the house now and I promise to hold everything down. I promise."

The former athlete added, "I love you and miss you i will live to make you proud till The day i get to see you again. I love you dad."

"Love u dad. I can't believe it's real. I don't want to. I'll miss you forever. Rest in peace. You were the most incredible dad," Maroney wrote in a tweet that was also deleted.

Maroney was one of the most high profile gymnasts to come forward and accuse former USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar of sexual abuse. Maroney said Nassar molested her multiple times, between the time she was 13 and her retirement in 2016.

In 2018, Nassar was sentenced to 175 years in Michigan state prison on 10 counts of sexual assault of minors. In 2017, he was sentenced to 60 years in federal prison on child pornography charges.

Maroney won the Gold Team and Silver Vault medals at the 2012 London Summer Olympics. Following multiple injuries, she retired from gymnastics in 2016.

Photo credit: Jared Siskin/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images