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American sprinter Noah Lyles discussed his challenging cult upbringing and its lasting impact on his family's faith and resilience.
American sprinter Noah Lyles has recently shared a profoundly personal aspect of his childhood revealing that he grew up in a cult.
This disclosure came during his appearance on the 'Everybody Wants To Be Us' podcast, shortly after his triumphant gold medal win at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
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In the podcast, Lyles described a rigidly structured system dominated by strict religious teachings which profoundly shaped his early life and that of his family.
"I actually grew up in a cult," he stated.
The cult enforced rules that required all mothers to homeschool their children and declared that the father was the unquestioned head of the household.
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Furthermore, the church heavily influenced personal matters, including dictating dating choices and approving marriages.
Lyles elaborated on the significant hold the church had over its members.
"It was a cult. It just wasn’t at the level of, ‘Yeah, okay. We’re gonna drink the Kool-Aid.' It was super strict," he noted.
He described how these experiences eventually drove his family to leave and relocate to North Carolina in search of a new church community.
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Unfortunately, they encountered similar demands in the new churches, which only perpetuated the disillusionment his family felt towards organized religious groups.
"And we left and that's why we went to North Carolina,” he explained.
Despite moving, the new church communities they encountered imposed the same strict conditions, which Lyles said "really messed up my view of church and it definitely messed up my mom’s view."
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The Olympic champion spoke candidly about the long-lasting effects this experience had on his family, particularly on his mother, Keisha Cane.
“And even now, she still struggles to trust churches in general, but she never lost her faith in the religion and I think instilled that in us. It made it easier for me to go throughout my own journey," he said.
Lyles credits his mother’s enduring strength and unique approach to faith during difficult times for helping him navigate his own spiritual and personal growth.
“When you lack faith, ask for a test and he will provide the test," he recalled his mother saying, a mantra that guided him through his own trials.
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Lyles overcame significant health challenges, including symptoms of swine flu in ninth grade during trials for the World Youth track-and-field team, and again faced health struggles with COVID-19 symptoms just days before competing in the Paris Olympics.
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