Olympic figure skater, Joannie Rochette’s mother passed away yesterday morning, despite that, she continued to practice for the Olympics. Her mother died of a heart attack. But, what I admired was her dedication to her country, to represent her country despite personal failures and troubles. It takes more than the ordinary citizen to continue to endure, and show courage and bravery during a time when someone close you dies, for many of us, the world may seem to fall apart then. Especially for Rochette since she was an only child. But, her dedication to her country, and representing her country was important to her, that she felt she could not fail her country despite her mother passing away. Although this is quite tragic, we can learn something from her, that you have an obligation, and a duty to your country. She’s a true Olympian. 
Here’s an excerpt of an article:
VANCOUVER–A quick smile for her weeping dad in the nearly empty stands, a brief wave, and then Joannie Rochette turned to the comforting embrace of her sport. Breathe deep, clear the mind, let go of everything else …
For that 45 minutes of practice time at the Pacific Coliseum on Sunday, there appeared to be almost no pain for Rochette, nothing externally real and heart-crushing: Just the lady and the figure skating, the blades under her feet, the music on the sound system, a coach along the boards offering technical advice, as if this were any other day.
But it wasn’t, of course, not from the moment the 24-year-old had awakened at the athletes’ village, Skate Canada officials agreeing to “let her sleep” until 6 a.m.
Four hours earlier, Canadian team officials had learned that Rochette’s mother, Thérèse, had died in a local hospital, the apparent victim – this later confirmed – of a heart attack. Mrs. Rochette, only 55, had arrived in Vancouver on Saturday with her husband, Normand, the couple travelling from Montreal with a small cheering faction of close friends. Mrs. Rochette died in the wee hours of Sunday morning. She had not yet even had an opportunity to see her daughter, who’d checked into the village last Wednesday.
It was Normand Rochette, still in shock, who gently broke the news to Joannie – the couple’s only child. Those present were struck by the skater’s self-contained reaction, as if willing herself to remain as calm as possible. Her first concern was her father. Then she asked to see her mom and was taken to Vancouver General Hospital.
“The thing that amazed me the most was that she was so composed,” said Benoit Lavoie, president of Skate Canada, who has long known Rochette’s parents.
She also insisted on attending the ladies’ short program practice session, as scheduled. In black workout leotards, her ponytail swinging, Rochette – though even paler than usual – actually had a terrific session on the ice, landing her difficult triple-double-double trick. While nodding at one point toward the large media contingent assembled, she otherwise seemed entirely wrapped up in her own world, same as always in training, and all business. Afterwards, neither Rochette nor her longtime coach Manon Perron spoke with reporters.
Those of us who have followed Rochette’s career since the beginning of her national prominence – and she’s now six times a Canadian champion as well as 2009 silver world medallist – recall how fragile between the ears this skater once was; unravelling under pressure, often tearful after important competitions in which the pieces had fallen apart.
As reporters have realized for some time, Rochette is not that vulnerable girl any more. She’s learned to be a tough competitor on the ice, reacting to occasional disappointments more with annoyance – directed at herself – and equanimity. But what the native of Ile Dupas, Que. – the tiny hamlet she left at age 13 to attend Perron’s skating school in Trois Rivières – showed Sunday was a mental toughness and emotional control few can imagine.
Sylvie Frechette, the synchronized swimmer whose fiancé committed suicide on July 18, 1992 – days before she was to compete at the Barcelona Games – is here as an “athlete service official” and unofficial mentor to the Canadian team. She met with Rochette for a few minutes Sunday morning. “I never thought my role as a mentor would take this turn,” Frechette told the Star afterwards.
“I just held Joannie in my arms. I wanted her to feel safe, to let her talk and express whatever she needed to say. What I told her was, whatever happens, whatever you decided to do, is okay. There is no right or wrong choice, there’s just her choice. And to make sure that whatever she decided, she was doing it for herself, not for her country or her sport or her coach.”
Read Full Story Here: http://olympics.thestar.com/2010/article/769369–dimanno-skater-faces-mother-s-death-bravely
– Vaanmathy
Tags: News
