VAIL — Lindsey Vonn delighted hundreds of children gathered in Vail Square on Wednesday for her welcome home celebration, but it’s doubtful any were as thrilled as the quiet one at the front of the crowd in a wheelchair.
Molly Nash of Denver, 15, suffers from a rare genetic disease called Fanconi anemia and skis in a disabled program. The look on her face was priceless.
“I am so happy,” said Nash, who had her picture taken with the Olympic downhill champion. “I’ve always wanted to meet her. She’s an amazing skier, and she’s inspired me to ski whenever I can.”
Nash’s mother, Lisa, said her daughter spends hours watching Vonn’s races.
“When we heard she was going to be here, we came up hopefully to see her,” Lisa Nash said. “The fact that she got to meet her has made her whole year.”
A crowd estimated in excess of 2,000 jammed Vail Square at Lionshead on a beautiful spring day. Vonn’s fans waved signs, paddles with her picture and pompons distributed by Vail Resorts, which sponsored the event. Vonn brought her Olympic gold medal.
“It means the world to me to see the enthusiam of the kids,” Vonn said later in quiet moment away from the crowd. “I’ve been so shocked and happy with responses I’ve gotten from kids, saying ‘I want to be a skier like you,’ and ‘I’m joining Ski Club Vail because of you.’ That’s exactly what I’m hoping for, to get kids excited about our sport and just to be excited about life.”
The celebration took place next to the building Vonn made her residence last summer after moving from Park City, Utah. Vonn raced for Ski Club Vail when she was a teenager and always wanted to come back.
“Today was definitely a lot more than I expected,” Vonn said. “The amount of kids that were down there was really cool to see. I hope that I’m making a good impact and keep being a role model for these kids the best I can.”
John Meyer: 303-954-1616 or jmeyer@denverpost.com
