9 Lives by 35

Olympic gymnast Mary Sanders shares her journey of grief, financial struggles, battles with coaches, rivalries, and injuries, but also her reinventions, as a Cirque du Soleil acrobat, as an entertainment executive, and as a mother.

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Olympic gymnast and Cirque du Soleil acrobat Mary Sanders shares her incredible story of dedication and personal sacrifice that led to success and reinvention.

Mary Sanders was handed an Olympic dream by her father from the moment she was born. Determined to follow in his footsteps, the young gymnast struggled through training setbacks, financial hardships, and personal rivalries, under a cloud of grief, to compete in the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. But that achievement was only the beginning for a woman determined to reinvent herself and consistently raise her own standards for success.

In this revealing memoir, Mary recounts her journey from Olympian to Cirque du Soleil acrobat to entertainment executive working for Shark Tank’s Robert Herjavec while balancing life at home with two children.

Through it all, no matter what obstacles are thrown in her path, Mary pushes forward, leaning on her faith, her family, and her enduring optimism to support her in each of her nine lives so far.