It was a shock to girls worldwide when American soccer star and role model, Abby Wambach, got arrested for driving under the influence, but also a good reminder that even the best of us make mistakes. From this, she created a powerful message to all high schoolers, especially when prom and the end of the school year is approaching fast.

Abby Wambach is the international soccer all time lead scorer, two-time Olympic gold medalist, and FIFA World Cup champion. But, more importantly, she is an icon to females as a  sexual discrimination hero. Although she did not come out publicly as gay until her marriage to Sarah Huffman in 2013, she has said that her teammates on the US Women’s National Team with her and supported her sexuality.

“I feel so lucky because, when I was first on the team, there was really no gay people on the team,” Wambach said in an interview with Sports Blog Nation. “And now you see this eclectic group of people that come from all different places and are different colors and have different preferences. For me, that’s something I’m most proud of.”

She was idolized not just because she was the captain with 184 career goals and 255 international appearances, but because of the way she taught girls to love themselves. I, like thousands of American athletes, watched Wambach walk off the field from her last game crying and smiling at the same time. I’ve watched her lead the USWNT to victory in the World Cup and Olympics, and wondered just how much dedication and skill it must have taken for her to get there and play internationally for twenty years. She is an advocate for females who felt alone, who were too scared to play sports and accept themselves. When I say Abby’s mugshot all over social media and the news, I was incredulous. I’m not saying it’s okay to get a DUI by any means, but she also stands an advocate for student-athletes who make mistakes during high school or college.  

Wambach admitted driving home drunk from a friend’s house in Portland, Oregon on April 5. She failed sobriety and breath tests, and was later arrested. She knew her mistake affected not just girls, but athletes everywhere. She posted an apology on Facebook that reminded us that we are all human.

“Those that know me know that I have always demanded excellence from myself. I have let myself and others down. I take full responsibility for my actions,” Wambach’s statement said. “This is all on me. I promise that I will do whatever it takes to ensure that my horrible mistake is never repeated. I am so sorry to my family, friends, fans and those that look to follow a better example.”

This is a reminder that our heroes aren’t perfect- they’re human too. I l even have more respect for how she dealt with millions of upset fans and took responsibility of her mistake. Especially with the end of the year and prom just around the corner, we should learn from Abby’s actions and take responsibility.