Indiana Fever player Griner’s friend excited after long-awaited release
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Brittney Griner is a superstar athlete and fellow WNBA players have been on edge waiting and hoping for their friend’s release. Standing in solidarity on many fronts. News 8 spoke to one of Griner’s best friends and Indiana Fever player Emma Cannon about this long-awaited homecoming.
KATIERA: How would you describe today?
EMMA: “First and foremost, this day is not about me. This day is about BG. And her coming home. And outside of that, I am super excited. Me and my wife literally cried tears of joy. This probably is the happiest I’ve been, since my son was born… I’m 100% behind BG and I definitely want to help raise awareness and do whatever we can for those that are still wrongfully detained in the world.”
KATIERA: Of course, the rest of the world knows her as Brittney Griner, WNBA superstar Olympian. You guys are friends. What’s it been like watching her go through this for almost a year now?
EMMA: “It’s been hard you know. Only being able to communicate through letters. Going back-and-forth like that. Writing every week on Saturday. And just hoping to get a response. And then it was a time where the letters had stopped. So, it’s been hard but with that communicating back-and-forth through those letters, we just continued to tell each other to stay up. And it’s crazy how she was even trying to tell me to stay positive throughout this whole thing. And I know that I can only imagine what she was going through. But through that time, we just kept encouraging each other.”
KATIERA: Just as a spectator, Brittany seems to be a very strong person. Very levelheaded. Very able to power through. Is that what’s kept her. Do you think is that what’s kept her able to just keep standing through all this.
EMMA: “For sure BG is relentless. And I feel like she has a very strong person and her wife. And I feel like the things that Relle has done on the outside on this side of the world for her it’s just been tremendous…Like thank you to Relle. She held it down. She’s been the bad bone to all of this. And without her a lot of this stuff wouldn’t have happened. So, Relle you did it. And we love you. And BG welcome home baby. We love you and I can’t wait to talk to you.”