WASHINGTON — Retired U.S. soccer star Abby Wambach addressed her recent drunk driving arrest head on as the first thing she spoke about at a women’s leadership summit Saturday, saying she has been “embarrassed and ashamed” in the week following the incident.
Speaking at the OWN IT Summit at Georgetown University, the two-time Olympic gold medalist and World Cup champion continued to take responsibility for her actions, emphasizing that regardless of who you are, no one is above making mistakes. Wambach was the event's keynote interview, which was conducted by Norah O’Donnell, co-anchor of CBS This Morning and OWN IT advisory board member.
“As a human being, you make mistakes, and it’s never about what you do in terms of that mistake,” Wambach said. “It’s about how you handle it and what you do in the moments afterwards. That’s where your character is.”
She did not discuss any details of her arrest or the case.
Wambach was arrested April 3 after failing to stop for a red light in Portland, Ore., and was charged with driving under the influence of intoxicants. Although she was not present at her arraignment Tuesday in Multnomah County Circuit Court, her lawyer entered a plea of not guilty on her behalf for the misdemeanor charge.
Wambach challenged a group of mostly young women to learn from her mistake, embrace it as a “teachable moment” and appreciate how similar blunders also can affect family and friends.
“Everything you do has an impact, has a ripple effect both good and bad,” she said. “Just make sure the good column is a lot longer than the bad.”
