Crista Samaras made headlines as a nationally ranked lacrosse player at Princeton from 1994-1999 and a gold medalist in the 2001 IFWLA World Cup as a member of the Women's National Team.

She went on to coach women’s lacrosse at Yale and start three companies. From the outside, she is a true American success story. What is less known about her is her lifelong struggle with depression.

“I wasn’t a person who ‘kind of' suffered from depression,” explains Samaras. “I was a suicidal kid from seventh grade until today. It's just the state I'm in.”

Lacrosse became a way for her to battle her demons. “I couldn’t find ‘happy' or a sense of joy,” she continues. “I just wanted to be alone, rid of the competition. For me, lacrosse wasn't about just winning. It was winning to such a huge degree that other players were no longer in the same playing field as me.”