The glamorous public image that professional athletes and celebrities maintain does not mean they are immune from trouble in their personal lives. Champion boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. pled guilty to charges of domestic violence committed against his ex-girlfriend, now living in Los Angeles. While Mayweather committed his attack, his three children watched. He is due to serve 90 days jail time on charges reduced to battery domestic violence and harassment.

The fight erupted as Mayweather got into an argument with his ex-girlfriend, the mother of the children, regarding her new boyfriend. Mayweather threw punches, pulled hair and twisted the woman's arm.

Had the prosecutors on Mayweather's case not agreed to cut a deal to drop various felony and misdemeanor charges and continue prosecution on less serious crimes, he could have spent over 30 years behind bars. Instead, he will be in jail for just under three months.

Even though the boxer will spend time in jail for domestic violence, he plans to continue his career once he is released.

Sometimes the people that we should feel most comfortable with, such as our parents, do awful things to each other. Mayweather's children were not physically harmed, but they will likely remember this terrible incident for the rest of their lives.

Although athletes and celebrities have their public successes, we must not forget they are still human and can have the same problems with their relationships as those outside of the limelight. Their problems can mount and end in tragic fashion, as is demonstrated in the Mayweather case. In any case, we can hope that healing occurs before violence, rather than tragedy being spread across headlines.

Source: USA Today, "Mayweather due in jail on domestic violence charge," Jan. 6, 2012