By Rhys Payne |Staff Writer
Former pro football player Esera Tuaolo will be speaking at the Jaguar Discovery Luncheon and Multicultural Student Engagement's Multicultural Series on Thursday, Sept. 13 at noon.Tuaolo is a former defensive lineman for the NFL who went to Super Bowl XXXIII with the Atlanta Falcons in 1999. He hid his sexuality as a gay man due to the pressure he felt from football culture, but at great costs. Tuaolo struggled with alcoholism and suicidal thoughts in response to his secret until 2003 when he publicly acknowledged his sexuality.Since then, Tuaolo, with the help of John Rosengren, has written an autobiography titled "Alone in the Trenches," in which he details his experience as an immigrant, a closeted gay man in the NFL and how coming out saved his life.The event will be held in the JSAC Ballroom and the first 70 people to arrive will get a free Chick-fil-A lunch. All attendees will have the opportunity to participate in giveaways of Tuaolo’s book and t-shirts. Attendance is free for all students, faculty and staff, but please RSVP at https://augusta.presence.io/form/jaguar-leadership-luncheon-rsvp-form. Contact Rhys Payne at empayne@augusta.edu