His name was Nodar Kumaritashvili

His name was Nodar Kumaritashvili, and he came from a country called Georgia. He came with his fellow countrymen to Vancouver to participate in the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. Among all seven billion people on this planet, he was ranked 44th in the world in terms of ability in the sport of luge. He wasn't "the best", but if you divide forty-four by seven billion, he was in that percentile; that's pretty good. He and his family and friends were excited for him when he qualified: The opportunity to represent his homeland, his family, and even to be seen on camera thrilled them. No doubt they were so proud of him, and no doubt they would celebrate his heroic return after the Olympics were over. Like the few Georgians accompanying him, he would be a national hero.

However, as we all know or seen, something happened in the sport of luge which is no stranger to danger, serious injury, or even loss of life. Nevertheless, Nodar loved to luge; he was good at it. Rankings aside, nothing proved he could exceed his "limits" like luge. "Limits" such as "Georgia didn't matter on the world stage", "Nodar, you'll never make it", and "Nodar, it's too risky" were all eliminated when Nodar set foot at the top of the hill, much less set foot on Canadian soil to compete. There is nothing like exceeding what you thought were limits because I had limits, too. "Black guys don't go to university unless it's for sports", and "You'll never lose all that weight" are among my favourites, because they are both funny and in my rear view mirror. Proving the doubters wrong, and learning about what Phil Wood is really made of made Phil Wood who he is now, and exceeding all the limits imposed on Nodar made Nodar Kumaritashvili who he was. However, we will not remember Nodar for those crushed limits, will we?

Nodar will be remembered for a patchy series of still photos strung together on Youtube, capturing the final moments of a life cut short on the final turn at the Whistler Sliding Center. Remember, when he left Georgia he was a national hero, and his family would probably throw a party for him when he returned. However, that party will not be as festive and joyous as the party that continues through the streets of Vancouver and Whistler. Georgians will not celebrate the expected return of their hero, but the unexpected departure of their Nodar from this world. They know, more than us, still photos strung together on Youtube are not honouring to the limit exceeding memory of Nodar Kumaritashvili. How would I know how to honour him? I don't know, but I would start with this...

His name was Nodar Kumaritashvili, and he came from a country called Georgia...