SILVER lining
Pulling on a black uniform with a silver fern proudly embroidered upon it is the dream of many Kiwi kids. It’s the pinnacle of years of blood, sweat, tears and resolve; the summit of sacrifice and struggle.
But when Silver Fern Sulu Fitzpatrick donned the little black dress for just the fourth time in her almost decade-long professional career last October, her feelings went beyond pride and happiness – she knew it was where she was truly meant to be.
After years of struggling with depression and anxiety, food and alcohol issues, a lack of confidence and being dropped from the Ferns, defender Sulu, 28, has emerged a strong, confident – and for the first time, genuinely happy – woman.
“Standing on that court felt so deeply different than the first time,” she tells Woman. “I actually knew what it meant this time around. I was so happy with where I was, and knowing that I had achieved something not just for me, but for my family and my village. It’s all for them.”
Sulu’s journey has been long and tough. Mental health battles, a surprise pregnancy – with twins, no less – and the pressures of being both a mum and an
