In the wake of the TMZ video showing Ray Rice’s vicious assault on his then-fiancée in a casino elevator, the fallout has been severe. The Ravens promptly terminated the running back’s contract and the NFL levied an indefinite suspension. While the fact that the assault itself took place is not new—Rice received a two-game suspension from the league—the brutality of the attack shown in the video, which occurred in February, reignited outrage at the NFL for its handling of the investigation, at league commissioner Roger Goodell for the meager punishment, and, of course, at Rice himself.
On Tuesday, Janay Rice responded on Instagram to the revived scrutiny her now-husband has received. From the Baltimore Sun:
“I woke up this morning feeling like I had a horrible nightmare, feeling like I’m mourning the death of my closest friend,” Janay Rice wrote. “But to have to accept the fact that it’s reality is a nightmare in itself. No one knows the pain that [the] media & unwanted options from the public has caused my family. To make us relive a moment in our lives that we regret every day is a horrible thing. To take something away from the man I love that he has worked his ass [off] for all his life just to gain ratings is horrific. “THIS IS OUR LIFE! What don’t you all get. If your intentions were to hurt us, embarrass us, make us feel alone, take all happiness away, you’ve succeeded on so many levels. Just know we will continue to grow & show the world what real love is! Ravensnation we love you!”
Here’s more from the Rices, who also spoke to ESPN on Tuesday:
ESPN’s Josina Anderson also spoke to the Rices by phone Tuesday. Asked how he was doing, Ray Rice responded, “I have to be strong for my wife. She is so strong. … We are in good spirits. We have a lot of people praying for us and we ‘ll continue to support each other.” Rice added, “I have to be there for [Janay] and my family right now and work through this.” After that, Ray handed his phone to his wife. “I love my husband. I support him,” Janay Rice said. “I want people to respect our privacy in this family matter.”
