A day…named
after me….check that off the bucket list!!
May 12th
2010 in beautiful Fernie, BC was Emily Brydon Day.
An honour
beyond my wildest dreams. An honour that made me
speechless. An honour that I was proud
to share with my Mom, friends and supporters.
Fernie is a
little town nestled in the southeast corner of British Columbia; a place that I
am proud to call my roots. What once was
just a tiny blip on the radar has grown into an international destination and a
much sought after ski resort. It is a community that honours its citizens,
lends a helping hand when need calls and inspirations beyond words.
So there I
was, Mommy and me riding in the back of a 1950’s Studebaker fire truck, being
escorted by a police car, 4 huge Olympic sport mascots, and two Mounties.
Trailing behind us were the kids that the Emily Brydon Youth Foundation had
helped and the people who were instrumental in my life and career thus
far. It was the ever growing parade as
we picked up kids along the way like a giant “swiffer picker upper”. The only
complaint to date was the lack of candy – next time! People actually showed up and people
actually cheered. It was one of those
occasions where I dreaded the worst (no one being there) and was blown away by
the people whom I saw in the crowd. It
was so important for me to see this and to experience it. It was a private showing to what happened
during the games and a little taste of how the Olympics united this tiny
village in the Kootenay’s. It
reinforced my belief that the Olympic Games can be so much more than podiums
and results; the power of sport is one of the most unrecognized and
underestimated forces of the world. It
grounded me and gave me what I needed to heal my disappointed Olympic heart.
From the fire
truck, I was lead in by two local bagpipers (one of whom is a ski racer!) to the
local community center. The people in
the crowd were all there because they were somehow connected to my life as a
Fernite, ski racer, friend or supporter.
It was the most diverse, inspiration and thought provoking group of
people. Speeches followed and awards and
presentations were given. I kept the
tears at bay but the dreaded clenched jaw was in effect. My speech at the end
of it all was definitely one that was emotional and difficult; rarely am I at a
loss of words, but I was. How do you
thank all these people who have already given you so much? It is something that I will forever be
indebted to the community, my friends, my family and my supporters for.
For all you
ski fans, you can now enjoy Emily’s run at the Fernie Alpine Resort. You can go for a lovely little jog or stroll
along the Emily Brydon trail and if you ever get locked out the city just give me
a call……I have the key!!!
Thanks for
all the recognition, support and inspiration.
Emily
Photos taken by Henry Georgi
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