Penn State kicker Joey Julius opened up Monday via a Facebook post about his battle with eating disorders that rendered him noticeably absent from spring practice and a portion of Penn State’s summer workouts.
Julius, who has become a fan favorite for his open field hits during kickoffs, posted the following on his Facebook page.
‘After a long consideration of not only myself, my family, and my team I have decided to go public about my absence from the team during spring ball of 2016 and thru out this summer.’ Julius wrote.
‘I was admitted into the McCallum Place on May 9th for eating disorders. Due to my increase in not only weight but also depression and anxiety my team physicians started to notice not only a change in my overall happiness but also my performance as a normal human being. Throughout this whole process I learned a lot about myself. I learned that for the last 11 years of my life I have suffered through a disorder known as binge eating disorder.’
‘Although I showed signs of bulimia through stints of purging from extreme anxiety placed on myself I am certain that binge eating disorder is my true diagnosis thru extensive care this summer for about three months of treatment in St. Louis Missouri until July 26th. In order to come to this conclusion I have no one to thank except for Coach James Franklin and my training staff and doctors that stuck with me throughout this whole process. They all noticed that I was not myself and that I needed extensive care such as the program in St. Louis that I attended this summer. I love Penn State and everything about this program and school and continue to do what I can to bring not only respect but honor to the name that so many before me Sacrificed to create. WE ARE PENN STATE and forever will be PENN STATE!’
‘If anyone and I mean anyone guy or girl is struggling with the the same or anything similar please message me as I will be in immediate contact to help in any way I can to provide information or insight on my struggles and I would love to help. Praise be to God and thank him for my ability to be honest about this.’
Since his return this summer Julius has handled every kickoff for the Nittany Lions this fall. So far this season 19 of his 30 kickoffs have resulted in touchbacks while his open field hits against Kent State and Michigan have seen Julius go from just another kicker to national internet sensation.
