#638 Olympic memories - the torch runs

Leading up to the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City in 2002, the Olympic torch was carried across the United States and ended up in Salt Lake City the night of February 8. I was fortunate enough to know two people who got to carry the torch. Patty Spring was the wife of one of my co-workers, and Eric Devenburg is MT's cousin. Sadly, both Patti and Eric are no longer with us. (Kinda strange, no?)

Eric carried the torch in Pocatello on January 26, 2002. Here's a snippet from my journal:

We met the family at Taco Bell. That sounds random, but it makes sense. That is where Eric Devenburg began his Olympic torch run! We bought American and USA Olympic flags. T and the rest of the kids ran around amusing themselves by chasing each other around and waving their "I saw the flame" pennants.

Finally, the torch came toward us, proudly held high by Eric. It was so exciting! I heard myself screaming, "Yeah Eric! Yeah Eric!" and snapping pictures like a maniac! He passed off the torch jut a couple of steps past us, then they turned off his torch. A pile of people just closed around him, hugging him, congratualting him, asking for pics. He was very cool about it all. He stood for pics for quite awhile. He let other people hold the torch. He got down to T's level ad helped him hold the torch (it was kind of heavy). It was just great. I was really happy that we came up for it because it was worth it!

MT didn't get to come to Pocatello with us because he was working. He was working on venues in Park City. I'm sure I'll write about his part in the Olympics, too. Of course, I can't find the picture of Eric with T because I used it in a calendar that I made and I didn't put the photo back in my album and I have no idea where the picture is. I have boxes and boxes of printed pictures. I'll try to find it. Maybe.

Here are some pics I did find:

OK, I know this picture is lame but like I said, I was yelling and snapping pictures and T was waving his Olympic flag and this is the product.

The little kid on the left is Eric's son Justin. The kid holding the torch is my nephew Garrett, and the cute little blondie is my baby T!

Here is a picture of Eric with his mom, our aunt Pat. Aunt Pat entered a contest where she wrote something about Eric, and they won and that's how he got to carry the torch.

The second time I got to see the torch was in Richfield, UT on February 5. Patty Spring was married to my co-worker Brad. Patty was a cancer survivor and if I remember right, a teacher. She was nominated by her friends and family to carry the torch. The company I work for, Granite Construction, rented a couple of busses and took a bunch of people (100 or so I guess) down to Richfield to watch Patty carry the torch. Here's what I remember about that day:

Best.Day.Of.Work.Ever.

It was a beautiful day and everyone was in high spirits. We were totally excited to be there. We were only three days away from the beginning of the Olympics and the mood in the city was charged. We brought the charge with us to the little town of Richfield. It's in the middle of the state and it is small. I remember that we had box lunches that we brought with us and we were gone all day. It was wonderful.

Here's a couple of pictures:

The ballons are P S for Patty Spring, but they look like 95 from this angle. Check out how many people came! It was a party!!

Here's Patty carrying the torch. I learned not to let anyone get in front of me from my Eric pictures.

Tomorrow will be the 10 year anniversary of the Opening Ceremonies. Man, that was great time!