A Second Escape
Alexandru Stefu, a gymnastics coach and a friend of Nadia Comăneci, learned about her predicament and took decisive action. Stefu arranged a meeting with Comăneci and Constantin Panait without revealing its true purpose. During the meeting, he encouraged Comăneci to be open about her living conditions, and she bravely spoke out.
Eventually, Comăneci accused Panait of mistreatment, prompting her supposed “manager” to flee. He took Comăneci’s car and money before leaving the country. Remarkably, Comăneci harbored no resentment toward Panait for his treatment upon her arrival in the US. She viewed his assistance in freeing her from Romania as a fair exchange for the challenges she faced while under his control.
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