Ray Rice Moves from Reisterstown, Apologizes for 'Horrible Mistake'

Former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice said that “there is no excuse for domestic violence” in a letter to the city of Baltimore he posted Friday on his Facebook page.

While Rice prefaced the letter by stating that it was ”not a farewell or goodbye,” The Baltimore Sun speculated that he will be returning to his hometown of New Rochelle, N.Y.

The Baltimore Ravens confirmed that Rice, who lived in Reisterstown, wrote the letter Friday morning before he moved back to New York.

The Ravens terminated his contract in September after footage was released showing Rice assaulting his wife, and the team announced in mid-January that it had come to an agreement regarding the $3.5 million he sought as a result of the termination.

Since Feb. 15, 2014, when Rice hit his wife in an Atlantic City casino elevator, the issue of domestic violence received national attention as two videos from the casino were released in the months that followed.

“There is no excuse for domestic violence, and I apologize for the horrible mistake I made,” Rice wrote. “I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me, and I hope to make a positive difference in people’s lives by raising awareness of this issue.”

• Ray Rice Writes Letter Thanking Baltimore for Support
• Rice on Today Show: ‘I Made a Horrendous Mistake’

A public service announcement during the 2015 Super Bowl encouraged victims to come forward to put an end to domestic violence, and the National Football League (NFL) has changed its policy on domestic violence as well.

After public outcry that Rice was initially suspended for two games, the NFL implemented a policy in which a player serves a six-game suspension for a first domestic violence offense and a lifetime ban from the league for a second offense. A second-time offender may petition for reinstatement after one year.

• NFL Enacts Tougher Domestic Violence Policies After Ray Rice Criticism

In addition to the NFL, the Baltimore Ravens took measures to curb domestic violence. The Ravens teamed up with the One Love Foundation, created in memory of Yeardley Love, 22, of Cockeysville, who was murdered by her boyfriend at college in 2010. The Ravens donated $400,000 so the organization could screen a documentary about domestic violence around Maryland, according to the Ravens.

• Murder Conviction in Love Case Leads to 23-Year Sentence

Additionally, the Ravens and domestic violence center House of Ruth of Maryland entered into a three-year partnership in August that included a $600,000 donation from the Ravens and the launch of the House of Ruth’s “Man Up!” campaign to educate men about intimate partner violence. Ravens players and staff signed on to participate in workshops and educational programs that include learning nonviolent relationship skills.

“The reaction in our society has always been, ‘Why doesn’t she just leave?’ The Baltimore Ravens have pledged to assist us in shifting the paradigm to change that question to: ‘Why does HE think it is ok to abuse her?’“ House of Ruth‘s Executive Director Sandi Timmins said in a statement about the partnership.

“It’s time for men to speak up, to take responsibility for their behavior, and to hold each other to having partner relationships that are healthy,” Timmins said. “It’s time to ‘Man Up!’”

The House of Ruth operates a 24-hour hotline at 410-889-RUTH (7884).

The National Domestic Violence Hotline is also available 24 hours a day at 800-799-7233.

See Also:

• Ray Rice Apologizes to Wife, Says ‘Angel’ Not at Fault
• Rice: ‘I Won’t Call Myself a Failure’

The following is the letter Ray Rice posted on his Facebook page Friday morning:

This is not a farewell or goodbye. The last seven years that my family and I have spent in Baltimore have by far been the best of our lives. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you all for the love and support you’ve shown my family and I throughout my football career. We’ll always be grateful for the love we’ve received from all of our fans and supporters, and for winning a Super Bowl. To all the kids who looked up to me, I’m truly sorry for letting you down, but I hope it’s helped you learn that one bad decision can turn your dream into a nightmare. There is no excuse for domestic violence, and I apologize for the horrible mistake I made. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me, and I hope to make a positive difference in people’s lives by raising awareness of this issue. Thank you, Baltimore Ravens, for all you have done for my family and I. I’m very grateful to Steve Bisciotti, Ozzie Newsome, John Harbaugh, and everyone at 1 Winning Drive. I love you all very much, and I’ll always be proud to say I played for the Baltimore Ravens.

Photo Credit: Ocean City Patch