Injured Auburn Gymnast Samantha Cerio Speaks out Following Graphic Injury

The Auburn University logo sits atop of Jordan-Hare Stadium. Mike Zarrilli/Getty Images

The 22-year-old Auburn gymnast who infamously dislocated both of her knees in a gruesome video has spoken out.

Samantha Cerio on April 15 said she will learn to walk again before her wedding, which is in about two months.

Earlier this month, during an NCAA regional semifinal in Louisiana, the athlete’s knees bent in an unnatural way when she attempted a landing during a gymnastics routine. It was later confirmed that she dislocated her knees and tore ligaments.

Speaking to the “Today” show, Cerio, seen confined to a wheelchair, said “It’s looking real good. I know I’m going to do everything in my power to make it happen” in regards to her pending marriage.

“We’re going to work hard for it,” she told the outlet.

Immediately after the injury, Cerio thought something was a “little wrong” before she looked at her legs. “I could feel my pass was off by just a little... usually even if they feel off I can get through,” she added.

“Then that’s when I saw what had happened, that’s when like the pain kind of started to set in and it got worse,” Cerio continued.

Despite her injury, Cerio said she is looking forward to the future.

“I’m really excited just because I have so many positive things coming up. I mean, this is a small setback, but it’s… just another thing to get through,” she added. “Even though that was my last gymnastics meet, everything we do, everything I have done and trained for Auburn has always been for my team. Just knowing that I have their support behind me 100 percent... that’s always helped me.”

A few days after her injury, Cerio wrote on Instagram that she is retiring from the sport.

Then, days after that, she implored social media users not to share or post the gruesome video showing her injury.

“Those of you posting and tagging me in the video of my injury, I am asking you to please stop,” she wrote on Twitter on April 10.

She added: “Going through the pain and seeing my knees bent unnaturally in real life was horrible enough, but to continue to see it from videos/pictures because some people feel entitled to repost it is not okay. I have family, friends, and teammates who do not need to see me getting injured over and over again. My pain is not your entertainment,” the statement continued.

According to WebMD, a dislocated knee means that the bones around that joint have been jolted out of place with a lot of force.

“Dislocated knees are rare, but they’re severe. Other parts of your knee might also have been damaged at the same time. You need to see a doctor right away in order to get back on the road to recovery,” the website says.

They’re usually the result of car accidents, hard falls, and sports injuries, the site states, adding that it’s quite painful.