Rich Roszel

After the death of Georgian luger, Nodar Khokhobashvili, I felt I needed to take a couple of days off from the blog before commenting. First, it would be practically impossible not to acknowledge his death in a blog about the Olympics — especially since I work at the course where the accident happened AND it happened right outside my control room.  Secondly, I wasn’t sure I had processed it.  Here, now, are a few remarks a couple of days later.

For the record, I did NOT see the accident happen, but my co-worker, Glenn Stillwell, heard it, and when he reported it to me moments later, I ran to the track to make sure help was on its way, and to pray.
The paramedics arrived just before I did, so I stayed on our bridge which crosses over the finish line and continued to pray — not only for Nodar, but for his teammate, Levan Gureshidze, his team and his family.

Levan was there when the accident happened and was so visibly shaken (obviously) that our crew had to hold him back so that the paramedics could attend to Nodar. They worked non-stop and airlifted him to the hospital, but, as you know, Nodar was confirmed dead a short time later. As I have a son who is training for the Olympics, I could see myself in the situation and I could imagine what my son would do if a friend had been in a similar accident. I also imagined what it would be like if it had been my son instead of Nodar. There’s no good side to this story.

With all the years invested in getting to the Olympics, I think my son might have gone ahead and competed — at the very least to honor his friend. Having said that, I completely understand Levan’s decision NOT to race. It’s a very personal decision and no two people will make it the same way for the same reasons. Levan understands what it meant for him not to compete. He knows what he has given up. He considered these things and many more. He did the right thing.

The athletes and crew at the track have all been very respectful as has the town of Whistler. I watched the Opening Ceremonies in Monk’s Pub just across from my hotel and after a moment of silence was observed for Nodar, we raised a toast in his honor.

May his memory live on, and may his family find comfort in knowing that Nodar died doing what he loved to do, having already received the highest honor an athlete could receive up to that point — a spot on the 2010 Olympic team for his country. May he rest in peace.