Jason Collins, who was lauded as a hero this week after he came out as the first pro sports star to reveal his homosexuality, previously backed out of a longtime engagement to a woman who never knew the real reason.
It was just last weekend that Carolyn Moos, 34, an ex-WNBA player and fitness guru, learned that she never really had a chance with the NBA bigman.
Here’s what you should know about Moos and her doomed relationship with Jason Collins.
1. They Were Together for 8 Years
Moos spent eight years of her life in a relationship with Collins, who never hinted that he was gay, even when he broke off the engagement in 2009.
She told TMZ:
It’s very emotional for me as a woman to have invested 8 years in my dream to have a husband, soul mate, and best friend in him. So this is all hard to understand.
2. She Found Out Just Days Before the World
Last weekend, right before Collins’ tell-all cover story in Sports Illustrated revealed his homosexuality to the world, he got in touch with Moos to give her a heads-up.
Collins had remained so private about his secret that even his twin brother didn’t know until recently.
In his SI essay, he writes:
When I was younger I dated women. I even got engaged. I thought I had to live a certain way. I thought I needed to marry a woman and raise kids with her. I kept telling myself the sky was red, but I always knew it was blue.
3. She Was a College Basketball Star and WNBA Player
The 6-foot-5 Moos played four years at Stanford, where she at times led the team in both scoring and rebounding. Her WNBA career lasted from 2001 to 2003 and included stints with the Phoenix Mercury, Miami Sol and Minnesota Lynx.
4. She’s a Personal Trainer and Fitness Guru
A series of videos on YouTube depict Moos’ rock-hard body as she demonstrates yoga moves and other fitness techniques. According to her website:
I currently practice as an ACE Certified nutrition consultant and trainer in Los Angeles and am completing my R. D.. I also work with clients in a virtual environment through e-mail and phone consultations for nutrition log analysis and virtual training sessions for yoga, weights, cardio and circuit training. You can train with me anytime, anywhere in the world and I will be certain to keep you FITT4Life!
5. She’s Not Mad
Despite being duped by the closeted Collins, Moos tells TMZ:
I care about [Jason] tremendously and only want the best for him. I want Jason to be happy for a lifetime and stay true to who he really is, inside and out.