Who was Julia Pernsteiner? Disabled Florida student-athlete dies by suicide, ex-track coach sued
Olivia House
Published Feb 01, 2026
A Florida school and its previous track and crosscountry mentor are being sued by the group of a late impaired understudy competitor who ended her own life
The understudy competitor Julia Pernsteiner claimed that a Florida college’s olympic style sports mentor “fat disgraced” and “embarrassed” her a month before her demise
Her folks are suing Jacksonville College since they guarantee that executives ignored her solicitations for mediation
A Florida school and its previous track and crosscountry mentor are being sued by the group of a late incapacitated understudy competitor who ended her own life. The guardians guarantee that the mentor slighted their little girl and dismissed her calls for help.
The understudy competitor Julia Pernsteiner claimed that a Florida college’s olympic style events mentor “fat disgraced” and “embarrassed” her a month preceding her passing. In 2021, the understudy ended it all in her room subsequent to being started off the crosscountry group two months sooner.
Her folks are suing Jacksonville College since they guarantee that chairmen ignored her solicitations for intercession.
Who was Julia Pernsteiner? Julia Pernsteiner was a 23-year-old understudy at Jacksonville College who died in her quarters in 2021 by self destruction. This misfortune happened just a short time after she had been cut from the crosscountry crew.
Her folks, Beam and Lynne Pernsteiner. are the ones who started the illegitimate passing argument against JU, charging that JU allowed Ron Grigg, the group’s mentor, to embarrass the youthful players in the group. Persteiner couldn’t join the college’s crosscountry group since she had various learning issues that impacted her capacity to peruse, compose, spell, and do math.
As per the case recorded on February 3, 2023, the college was certifiably complicit in permitting the group’s mentor, Ron Grigg, to over and over reprimand their little girl’s scholarly deficiencies and much of the time allude to her as “impeded” before the group. “Partners review Grigg appreciating embarrassing Julia, alluding to her as ‘hindered,’ the slowest f — — sprinter in the group’ and unfit to ‘wipe your own a-,” the suit claims.
Our hearts are breaking as we hear of Julia Pernsteiner’s sudden death. Please be in prayer for all of Julia’s loved ones. We will be gathering for a candle light remembrance tonight in the chapel at 5:30
— Chaplain Musick (@upikechaplain) November 10, 2021
The foundation was blamed for neglecting to give a scholarly culture that was obliging of their girl’s impedance notwithstanding encouraging to do so when they selected her for the crosscountry group.
At the point when her grades started to endure, Pernsteiner supposedly went to her affection for sport for solace until she was given up from the group a month prior to she committed suicide.
Pernsteiner sent an email to Alex Ricker-Gilbert, the college’s games chief, a month after she was excused from the group, communicating her genuine sentiments. “I simply don’t have the foggiest idea where to go from here,” the email says. “I depend on the athletic scholarly assist to do with welling. I might want to remain and deal with working on my grades. I simply am not ready to do it without anyone’s help. I’m searching for exhortation on the most proficient method to continue.”
Her feelings spiraled into dissatisfaction and melancholy in the wake of getting no reaction to her email. Following a month, Pernsteiner ended it all.