Joannie Rochette
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Today I would like only to honor Joannie Rochette, the Canadian figure skater who lost her beloved, 55-year-old mother to a heart attack on Sunday and who skated a flawless and love-filled short program last evening at the Vancouver Winter Olympics. Rochette did not grow up rich. Her parents lost their first child before Joannie was born. With her father working extra shifts at a metals factory to help pay for his daughter's skating, Joannie herself took on employment, as a 16 year old, as a maid in a hotel.
You need so much to afford to skate. You need heart, above all else, to skate well.
You need your father, there with you, at the hardest time in both of your lives, and you need your mother close. Last night, Joannie Rochette's mother stayed close.
Please watch her skate. You won't forget her.
10 comments:
The hearts of participants in the Olympic games never fail to amaze me. All the years of work leading up to a one or two minute challenges. It's inspiring.
Thank you for sharing the video. That was my first time seeing it. So inspiring and touching. It is amazing to think of the emotional strength that she needed to get through that performance so flawlessly.
I cried.
I taped the event and watched Joannie skate this morning. Since reading Undercover and your blog where you've mentioned skating several times, I thought, I bet Beth Kephart will write about this moment today... :-) I didn't expect to start my morning with so much inspiration or so many tears.
You gave me shivers -- beautiful.
I was so sorry to hear about that. I can't watch the link--it only works in the U.S.
What a wonderful tribute. Thanks for this.
It was a very emotional and moving performance!
I saw her skate last night and it brought tears to my eyes. I was so sad for her but also very proud of her for reaching within herself to find the strength and love to put on such a beautiful performance. She has so much love behind her, not just in Canada but even here where I live in Georgia, USA. I hope she does wonderful in the free skate tomorrow night.
~Briana
We had recorded this and just watched it this afternoon. You are right, I won't forget.
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