How John Geddert - the coach who died by suicide - rose to the top of USA Gymnastics and enabled Larry Nassar along the way

For many years, John Geddert was one of the biggest names in gymnastics.

He was known to have coached many world-renowned gymnasts, like Jordyn Wieber and Thema Williams, to prominence.

And he led the US women's gymnastics team - known colloquially as the "Fierce Five" - to gold at the 2012 London Olympics.

But Geddert's gymnastics career was shrouded in darkness.

He was accused of being quick to anger and to resort to abuse while coaching.

Multiple gymnasts said the coach told them to kill themselves and he often became physically violent in the gym.

Former gymnast Makayla Thrush accused Geddert of once throwing her "on top of the low bar" in his gym, which gave her a black eye, ruptured lymph nodes in her neck, and torn stomach muscles. The injuries, Thrush said, "ended my career."

And fellow former gymnast Bailey Lorencen alleged to ESPN that Geddert once forced her to continue practicing after breaking a bone in her back.

Later, a doctor said it was "a miracle" Lorencen was not paralyzed.

Many people - gymnasts and parents alike - watched as Geddert "regularly berated young girls in his program and pushed them or stepped on their toes to get their attention."

Gymnasts say that it was under the cover of this behavior that Larry Nassar -the disgraced former USA Gymnastics doctor - was able to sexually abuse hundreds of young gymnasts over the course of years.

Geddert first worked alongside Nassar at Great Lakes Gymnastics near Lansing, Michigan - where he spent the early years of his career as a head coach.

When Geddert founded his own gym - Twistars USA Gymnastics Club - in 1996, he brought Nassar along with him.

Nassar would "volunteer" at the gym on Monday nights, molesting minors in the back of the gym under the guise of medical treatment.

Nassar, who is expected to spend the rest of his life in prison, was accused of sexual abuse by more than 200 girls and young women in Twistars' "makeshift training room."

And though it was unclear whether Geddert knew the full extent of the sexual abuse, one survivor testified that he once "walked in to the training room when Nassar was digitally penetrating her" and cracked a joke before leaving.

Stories of Geddert's behavior came to the forefront during Nassar's sentencing hearing in January of 2018.

At which point USA Gymnastics suspended his membership, prompting Geddert to promptly retire and transfer ownership of "Twistars" to his wife, Kathryn.

ESPN reports that, before then, police twice investigated Geddert "for reports of physical assault."

In one such instance, Nassar convinced the woman who filed the complaint against Geddert to retract her statement.

Officials launched a criminal investigation into Geddert in February of 2018, just days after Nassar was sentenced.

And, on Thursday, Geddert was charged with 24 counts of criminal misconduct.

Those charges included 20 counts of human trafficking and two counts of criminal sexual conduct as well as racketeering and lying to police officials.

Geddert died by suicide Thursday afternoon, shortly before he was scheduled to be arraigned. His body was discovered at an interstate highway rest stop.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, who announced Geddert's charges earlier in the day, called his suicide "a tragic end to a tragic story for everyone involved."

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If you are a survivor of sexual assault, you can call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800.656.HOPE (4673) or visit their website to receive confidential support.

If you or someone you know is struggling with depression or has had thoughts of harming themselves or taking their own life, get help. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255) provides 24/7, free, confidential support for people in distress, as well as best practices for professionals and resources to aid in prevention and crisis situations.