My Girl (Jonathan Toews)

66

Alexis

One moment in someone's life doesn't make a athlete great. Being a one hit wonder only gets you so far. All the greatest athletes, Michael Phelps, Michael Jordan, Muhammad Ali, they were all good because they were consistently good. They weren't one and done, they came back each time better than they were before. That's what makes them great.

And it's nice to have the worlds championships and national championships. But to win a gold medal at the Olympics, that's a whole another level. Then you can say that no one else is better than you at what you're doing and that's one of the greatest feelings in the world.

I had the chance for two medals in the women's individual short and long programs. Both of those will be announced later but I have already done my short program, now it was time for the long one. And I've been waiting since the day I got back on the ice to do this routine. It almost feels like I've waited my whole life for this one performance.

I hope my parents are back home watching, realizing why this was always my dream to achieve, not theirs. I hope they see why it's so important to never give up, to never lose faith even if things seem bleak. Because the thing about faith is that it might not always be front and center, but it will always be there. And if you let it go its hard to have faith again. Especially when you believed for so long that your parents will come back to help you, but they never did.

I hope that my sister is proud of me. I hope I'm becoming everything she ever needed me to be. I know she loved to watch me skate and her seeing me hurt and struggle so much, that was hard for her. She just wanted to see me do what I love, and I hated that I wouldn't step back on the ice no matter how many times she begged. But she's my biggest fan and I hope I make her proud, I hope I make everything we've ever been through worth it.

I hope Jon sees that this was never about skating with him. This was never about winning the gold or winning all the glory. This was always about me finding who I am and who I am to him. It was about stoping myself from holding back and stopping myself from giving up. When he found me I was broken, and now I'm whole and there's no better feeling than loving and being loved. That's what all this is about.

But a gold medal doesn't hurt either.

As I lace up my skates for the last time for a while I realize that this was it. This is what I have been waiting for my whole life. And while one moment will not make or break me, it sure does change a lot.

"Alright kiddo, you ready" Pete asks and I just shake my head.

"Why do you always ask me that? I will never be ready for this, this is figure skating" I tease.

"I know. But all the other skaters I've worked with I was worried about, but not you. You're the only one worried about yourself" he shrugs.

"I have a lot to live up to" I remind him.

"Yeah. You do, but there's good reasons for that. You are so close to being what everyone said you were going to be and more. We just need one more performance" he insists.

"Then let's do it" I smile.

I warm up and sit for what feels like forever in the holding area before it was finally my time to shine. I take the ice to applause that gives me chills. I couldn't help but smile as I look around, seeing people on their feet welcoming me with open arms back into the figure skating world made my heart so happy. I tried so hard to calm my heart rate but it wasn't helping much. I felt like I could fly right now.

I hit my opening pose and I close my eyes. I go into my happy place and it was nothing but muscle memory from there.

"One look in your eyes and there I see
Just what you mean to me
Here in my heart I believe
Your love is all I'll ever need

Holdin' you close through the night
I need you, yeah
I look in your eyes and there I see
What happiness really means

The love that we share makes life so sweet
Together we'll always be
This pledge of love feels so right
And, ooh, I need you

Here and now
I promise to love faithfully (Faithfully)
You're all I need
Here and now
I vow to be one with thee (You and me), hey
Your love is all (I need) I need."

My tricks were higher and my spins were faster and my leaps went farther than ever. I've never had a performance like this one in my life. But I've never had a moment like this in my life.

It's kinda funny, how everything fell together. How Jonathan fell into my lap and the rest is history. He isn't the one who taught me how to skate or how to do tricks, he just taught me how to love who I am and why I am this way. He taught me that skating is a part of me and me sitting there hating myself for what it did to me wasn't helping anyone. Without him I wouldn't be here, I wouldn't be anywhere close to here and for that I am thankful.

"When I look in your eyes, there I'll see
All that a love should really be
And I need you more and more each day
Nothin' can take your love away
More than I dare to dream
I need you

Here and now
I promise to love faithfully (Faithfully)
You're all I need
Here and now
I vow to be one with thee (You and me), yeah
Your love is all I need."

As soon as the song ends I let out the longest breath I ever did in my life. I tune back into the moment I was in and it was straight bliss. It was the greatest feeling in the world, to be out in that ice in this crowd and to be recognized for all my hard work and sacrifices.

I stand and wave a little longer than usual before finally skating off. I see Pete standing there with tears in his eyes and it made me cry too. I slip my skate guards on before embracing the best mentor I've ever had.

"Wow kid... I'm speechless" he whispers and I smirk.

"That's impossible" I insist.

"You always seem to do the impossible" he claims.

He pulls me into a tight hug because we did it. We finally made it to what we set out to do.

Finally it comes time for awards and I sit impatiently with Pete. My leg is bouncing up and down as I try to calm my nerves. They announce third and second and I felt like I was going to throw up.

Finally they announce first and I hear my name called. The smile was immediate as the tears stream down my face. I turn to Pete who gave me that "I'm so proud of you face" and I couldn't hold it back. I was so so happy that I could do this and do it with the people I love most.