What Made Maddy Run
is a book by Kate Fagan that explores the tragic suicide of college athlete Madison Holleran, who appeared to have a perfect life but was secretly battling anxiety and depression. The summary of the book's main themes is the contrast between her public image and her private struggle, highlighting the immense pressure on young people and college athletes to be flawless. The book investigates the factors contributing to her death and the subsequent realization that many people around her had pieces of the puzzle but didn't see the full picture until after she was gone. - Public image versus private reality: Madison Holleran was a successful, popular, and intelligent student-athlete, but this outward success masked her internal struggles with mental health.
- Pressure to be perfect: The book uses Holleran's story to examine the immense pressure that young adults, particularly college athletes, face to be perfect and succeed at everything they do.
- Mental health struggles: It delves into the secrecy and shame surrounding mental health issues, showing how Holleran's anxiety and depression became overwhelming, leading to her suicide at the start of her freshman year at the University of Pennsylvania.
