ROSSFORD, Ohio — Rossford wrestler Zoe Hussar has experienced the highest of highs and the lowest of lows in the past year.
This is a story of triumph in the face of life’s most difficult challenges and for the first time, she’s telling her story.
The wrestling room at Rossford High School is the place where Zoe Hussar feels most comfortable. In her young wrestling career, she’s already accomplished a ton of the mat, but her journey here has been filled with pain.
Back in June of 2012, when Zoe was nine, she said she was at a friend's house when she was sexually assaulted.
“I knew it wasn’t right at the time, but also at the time, I didn’t know what sex was,” said Hussar. “I didn’t know what any of that really was. I was a young kid, but I knew it wasn’t right. I knew how my parents would react, and they’re the most supportive, protective parents on the planet. I was like ‘I don’t want to get in trouble.' He never really told me ‘don’t say anything,’ but I just knew it was kind of a given you don’t talk about it.”
It took her almost ten years to speak out, but last year, she informed her parents of what happened. While watching the trial for Larry Nassar who was found guilty of sexually abusing gymnasts over a span of two decades, the painful memories all came flooding back.
“It was just a lot of emotions all the time,” said Hussar. “Feeling like it was my fault. Feeling like I don’t want a boyfriend, like I’m gross. Low self-esteem. But after I told my parents, it helped. I think a lot of girls need to realize that you can come forward and help. No matter how late it is.”
“As a dad, how do you handle that?” said Randy Hussar, who is also the Rossford wrestling coach. “I don’t know that I know how to handle it yet. We talk about it. She knows that I’ve got her back no matter what. It’s difficult. I don’t know that I’ve handled it yet.”
This past December, the man that Zoe accused was found not guilty on the rape charge from 2012. But Zoe wasn’t the only one to come forward and he was found guilty of gross sexual imposition with another young girl and sentenced to four and a half years in prison. Zoe testified in that trial and was happy that some justice was served.
“It was hard, but I think it was the best thing for me to go testify and tell my story because for so long I was embarrassed by it,” said Zoe. “At the end of the day it’s a part of me and it’s made me who I am. I’m not grateful for it, but it’s a bittersweet thing because I wouldn’t be who I am today.”
The wrestling mat has always been her escape from reality. She can dominate out here and she did just that at the state championships.
Her dad is her coach, but he stepped aside to watch and let his assistants take over. He wanted to enjoy this moment as a dad.
She was down 5-0 going to the final period but she found a way to rally back. Zoe shocked everyone and found a way to come out with a state title.
“Just the year that I’ve had and the past couple state tournaments and knowing that through all of the bad things that I’ve gone through this year, I could still rise above it and come out with a win,” said Zoe. “I wanted it so bad.”
“I don’t know that I’ve ever felt that much joy,” said Randy Hussar. “She’s been through a lot and she works really hard. In wrestling, you get what you earn. You don’t really deserve anything, and I believe she earned it.”
Zoe was also recently named homecoming queen at Rossford. She will continue her wrestling career in college at Siena Heights.