November 20 tomorrow - Anybody remember -

It came to my head once I saw the date down my computer screen that november 20th is not far and that its been 16 years now that we lost the best pair male skater - Our beloved " SERGEI GRINKOV " has passed away. I just cant believe it that its been that long, time goes so fast... Many people I'm sure will have a thought for him.

Oh, my. I remember exactly where I was and who told me. It was so heartbreaking. For his family and friends, it must have been like being struck by lightning.

I'll never forget how we got the news. I was @ home and a teacher friend called me from school, telling me that she had just heard the news on the radio. What a terrible loss. G&G were such a fabulous, loving pair.

I am thankful that Katia has survived this tragedy, reinvented herself as a lovely singles skater, and has found happiness with Ilia.

I can remember watching the news and being so shocked and devastated, I think I was 10 by that point. I'd lost my aunt a few months before and she was the one I watched skating with so it reopened a very large wound for me...

reading accounts by skaters who were there and other books on the subject make it even more real. He touched so many lives and was so very loved. The loss devastated teh skating community in so many more ways than just losing an amazing pairs skater. (Scott Hamilton still can't talk about it without serious emotion. It's so weird to think of how long it's been... to me Daria will always be that toddler he used to skate around the ice...

I was go glad to find this. I've been thinking about Sergei a lot today. I'm still up at 5:19 AM, watching videos of G&G and of Katia will other male skaters. I'm glad that she's pair skating, though: what a loss it was when the world's greatest female pair skater wasn't pair skating anymore. I will always mourn the loss of Sergei, but I am comforted by something a friend of mine said shortly after he died: That he (Sergei) had more love and happiness in his 28 years that most people will have in a long lifetime. I remember something Rose Kennedy said after Bobby Kennedy died "...that my children have had every good thing life has to offer, except length of years." This comforted me, too, and I hope it will do so for everyone who loved Sergei.

I always think of Sergei on this date. When I was in Lake Placid several years ago, I was amazed that at the rink they still have a shrine to G&G, with flowers.

Re Katia and Ilia, they are both appearing in SOI this year....hope that means something good. They have an adorable daughter.

I remember this like it was yesterday, watching the news and this appeared out of the blue, and my very first thought was "I hope it's not Sergei, I hope it's not Sergei, I rather it be her than Sergei, I hope it's not Sergei". And then finding out a while later that it was him, not her. Heartbreaking.

It was Sergei that my eyes & heart drew from the start ~ laid back, easy going, intelligent (voracious about learning), friends with everyone, concerned even about the Zamboni Driver, chatting with him, flashing that shy half smile, humble, overjoyed to have a baby, be a father, upset at himself for the few bobbles he made in the FS, telling a surprised Scott H. that he didn't enjoy skating, he only did it b/c it was his job, wanting to see the world, wanting his daughter to learn English and see the world as well. So many dreams, a wish list.

Ah, memories, but he's in a better place now and can do whatever he wants, including traveling the world at his leisure. Truly enjoy Paris, instead of having to worry about competing all the time.

A single rose to Sergei on the anniversary of his death. *insert red rose emoticon*

For my self, I was home watching t.v. late around 22:00 when news starts. Then at then, the announcer said " We end tonight with the unexpected death today of World renoun pair figure skating, Sergei Grinkov collapsed while practicing with wife Ekaterina Gordeeva. Sergei was just 28 years old. He said something else but cant remember.