Dan Jansen's emotional Olympic journey resonates to this day
Posted February 11, 2022 5:03 p.m. EST
Updated February 11, 2022 5:23 p.m. EST
North Carolina's ties to the Summer Games are strong, but are there some stories out of the Winter Olympics that have stood the test of time.
That's the case for Dan Jansen, a former speed skater living in Mooresville.
In 1988, the world watched Jansen try to compete for Olympic gold hours after losing his sister Jane to leukemia.
He believes his story resonated with the public for many reasons.
"There's nobody no matter where you are in life in terms of whatever you may define in terms of success that hasn't gone through ups and downs on the way there," he said.
At the 1992 Olympics, Jansen failed to medal again. In 1994 in Lillehammer, Norway, finally it all came together.
"After all the disappointments, cruel disappointments really, he deserves every bit of his moment in the sun right now," the announcers said.
Jansen said, "You wouldn't believe it if someone just wrote it. It's sort of the fairytale ending that doesn't always come true but in my case it did."
After winning gold in the 1,000 meters, he got to hold his daughter, who he had named after Jane, for a victory lap.
He remembered, "Without even knowing it, someone passed Jane down to me, and it turned out to be one of the most amazing memorable moments of my life."
After the Olympics, Jansen started a foundation dedicated to helping families affected by cancer.
"It's really all because of my sister and the courage she showed through this," he said.
While Jansen is done skating, he hasn't lost his love for speed. Nowadays he's a personal trainer for NASCAR drivers and a few pro golfers.
