NHL Star Luke Prokop's MAJOR Revelation Shocked Fans; How Did His Teammates React?
Luke Prokop of the National Hockey League recently took to his Instagram to drop a shocking announcement that surprised sports fans.
The athlete is coming out of the closet and tells his followers that he's gay and is no longer scared to hide who he is.
"It has been quite the journey to get this point in my life, but I could not be happier with the decision to come out." he wrote (check out the complete statement below)
He mentioned that being in the league is his biggest dream since he was a kid, and he believes that being his authentic self will allow him to improve his chances of fulfilling his dreams.
Prokop also thanked his family, friends, and agents, the first people he came out to and supported him in his decisions.
"I hope that in sharing who I am, I can help other people see that gay people are welcome in the hockey community, as we work to make sure that hockey truly is for everyone." he added.
He concluded his post by writing that he's new to the community and he's eager to learn about "the strong and resilient people" who came before him that fought for their rights.
He added that he's excited about his new journey.
Fans, Teammates Reacts
Following his announcement, many of his fans and teammates embraced his decision and rallied their support online.
"Proud of you pro, love ya man," hockey player Jet Woo wrote.
"Props to you for being brave and sharing your truth. I'm a fan!" another fan wrote.
Several NHL teams such as New Jersey Devils, Buffalo Sabres, Calgary Flames, and more also commented in his post congratulating him for his milestone.
NHL's Big Move Following Prokop's Coming Out
After coming out, the National Hockey League announced that they would be collaborating with Prokop to donate $100,000 to selected LGBTQIA+ organizations.
NHL called the collab "The Trevor Project."
Luke Prokop Made History?
According to NPR, the Nashville Predators star is the first player under contract to publicly come out as gay.
No other player from the league, signed or retired, has announced their sexuality before.
However, in professional hockey, female Olympic gold medalist Meghan Duggan had previously come out as gay.
