It was the 2010 Olympics and US Cross Country Skier, Kris Freeman, was just seconds from the lead and his blood sugar began to plummet, Kris did all he could to even stay in the race, much less take over the lead. But he did not give up.
The world of competitive sports is gruelling on any normal day, make it the world-wide stage of the Olympics; it becomes almost unimaginable. Add to the mix that one has type one diabetes—-well–there is just no word for that, is there?
But I have a word:
Hero.
Kris Freeman said the following recently:
“I will compete in the first of four races at the 2014 Olympics. Each time I will think of the thousands of children I’ve met over the last 10 years and try to win a medal for all of us.”
Like I said; hero.
Kris, although I know his absolute drive is to win a medal, does not have to stand on a podium to bring gold home to the United States; for the so many who have diabetes—he has already done that by participating. To withstand all it takes to be IN THE Olympics is enough to make any one in the diabetes community stand proud. And we do. Click the picture below to hear what Kris had to say on NBC about being a person with diabetes in the Olympics.
Of course Kris is not just racing for ‘diabetic athletes everywhere’ as Ms. Vargas stated in the introduction to the interview, he is racing for America, and also for anyone who has diabetes and has a dream of any kind.
He races for anyone who needs to see that diabetes should stop them from nothing. He races for himself to prove he can; and through that we all win, don’t we?
Something we do in the diabetes community; we say job well done. I read a question in a post if there was a way to say thanks to Kris; and I can tell you that if you look at the picture at the start of this article; it was taken at the Children with Diabetes Friends for Life Conference in 2010. At that conference, just months after the last Olympics, a group of kids with diabetes gave Kris a Gold Medal of his own. A Gold Medal for inspiration.
Because when it comes right down to it, for what Kris does by EVEN BEING at the Olympics, in the eyes of those who live with diabetes, well……….that is about as good as Gold!
I am a diabetes dad.
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3 replies on “To Our Kids: Olympian Kris Freeman is Gold Whether He is on the Podium or Not”
Thank you Kris. You are an inspiration to all of our kids who fight this terrible disease every day! Never give up your dreams!!!!
Weill said Lisa……WELL SAID!!!!!
[…] major inspiration to so many of us. Not only did a few DOC’ers share their thoughts about how inspiring he is, but Kris also sent a big “Thank You” through is own […]