Naman Shrestha
Based on a 2020 Sports Illustrated article titled ‘Why Aren’t More People Talking About the Ohio State Sex Abuse Scandal?’ by Jon Wertheim, HBO’s ‘Surviving Ohio State’ is a true crime documentary film that explores the sexual abuse scandal of the Ohio State University sports physician, Dr. Richard Strauss. One of the many alleged victims of the doctor was a promising ice hockey player named Al Novakowski, whose entire career went to shambles due to the same. Featuring in the documentary, he revisited the experiences he had with Strauss and talked about how they had a negative impact on him and his hockey career.
Al Novakowski Was Deeply Affected by the Alleged Abuse Inflicted by Strauss
When Allan “Al” Novakowski joined the Ohio State University in 1987 with excitement to play ice hockey and eventually become a professional, he was unaware of how his life would be turned upside down. Soon, he became one of the many athletes abused by the faculty sports physician, Dr. Richard Strauss, which ended up negatively affecting him on the rink. By the end of his sophomore year, Al was off the hockey team and lost his scholarship. In order to afford the tuition fee, he worked at a hockey school in his hometown during the summer and at a landscaping company. Feeling hopeless, Al spiralled down and turned to drugs. Things got even worse in the spring of 1990, when he visited the clinic at Ohio State University’s Student Union for a medical issue.
Unexpected for him, Strauss was the doctor at the time. During his medical examination, the physician allegedly gave him a muscle relaxer and offered to drop him off at his apartment. As per Al’s accounts, despite there being roommates in the house, Strauss took him to his room upstairs and raped him after injecting him with a second shot of medicine. He told The Athletic UK of The New York Times, “I could feel him snuggle up behind me. I was thinking, ‘Am I dreaming this? Is this real?’ I couldn’t really move. I don’t know what he gave me — if it really was just a muscle-relaxer — but it knocked me out. I was fast asleep.” After he regained consciousness, he couldn’t believe that he was raped inside his own house. Given Strauss’ position of power, Al didn’t consider filing a complaint against him as he believed that nobody would believe him.
Al Novakowski Runs a Business in Salmon Arm
Born on May 16, 1966, in Williams Lake, British Columbia, Allan “Al” Novakowski graduated from Columneetza Secondary School and Penticton Secondary School before attending the Ohio State University in 1987. After his dreams of becoming a professional ice hockey player were shattered, he tried his luck in business. In March 1994, Al started a small business called Abundant Specialty Advertising (ASA) in his basement. More than two decades of sheer determination and hard work later, ASA is currently based in downtown Salmon Arm with a growing team of talented individuals. Apart from being the founder, Al also serves as the marketing specialist and head janitor at the organization.
Al Novakowski’s Greatest Source of Strength is His Family
While Allan “Al” Novakowski admits that the trauma he endured as a young man would never completely heal, he has gradually managed to move forward by finding strength in his resilience and support in his close ones. Over the decades, he has dedicated himself to overcoming the pain of the past to lead a meaningful life. Through determination and hard work, the Williams Lake, British Columbia native has built a beautiful life, complete with a loving family in the Shuswap Country region of the Southern Interior. He married Cindy Novakowski-Engen sometime in 1994 or 1995. Since exchanging their vows, the two expanded their family by welcoming three children — two sons, Austin and Benjamin, and a daughter, Kennedy, who complete their world and fill their lives with joy.
Family has always been Al’s greatest priority. The beloved son of Martha and Edmund, he shares a particularly deep bond with his siblings Wayne, Karen, and Kimberly. In 1967, when Al was quite young, the Novakowskis relocated to Williams Lake, where his father built an impressive career in the dairy industry that lasted about three decades before he retired for good in 1998. Martha and Ed raised their kids with immense love and support, and the household was packed with warmth and laughter in abundance. The family faced a huge loss when their patriarch passed away on January 27, 2021. As days pass by, Al continues to find comfort in the incredible life his father led and cherishes the beautiful memories they created.
Al’s world revolves around his kids, who are the driving force behind everything he does. The proud father of three never misses an opportunity to share their respective wins and showcase his affection for them on his social media platform. While his firstborn, Austin, is now a 30-year-old happily married man, his youngest son, Benjamin, is 26 years old and making a career in Marketing, Finance, and Strategy. Furthermore, his beautiful daughter, Kennedy, is building a life in Victoria. When he is not spending quality time with his kids and other family members, Al loves to indulge in a passion that has stayed with him even after all these years — watching ice hockey and football games. In his downtime, he also likes to hang out with his friends or simply bask in the beauty of nature that surrounds him.
Read More: Russ Hellickson: Where is the Former Ohio State Wrestling Coach Now?
