This Olympian’s Inspiration is His Brother with Cerebral Palsy

Get the tissues out, because this story will tug at your heartstrings.

Canadian freestyle skier Alex Bilodeau won gold at the Sochi Winter Olympics yesterday, the second of his career. And right there cheering him on was his older brother, Frederic. After the big win Monday, the brothers hugged, with Alex lifting Frederic over the fence so they could celebrate together.

Frederic’s support, and the manner with which he has dealt with his physical impediments have inspired Alex throughout his many years of training.

“I chase my dreams for him,” says Alex.

In this post I’m including pictures the Canadian Olympic Team sent out via its Twitter account, @CDNOlympicTeam – they convey the special bond the brothers have much better than words ever could.

NBC has a very touching video telling the story of Alex and Frederic. The piece includes interviews with their parents and behind-the-scenes footage with the family. However, the best parts of the piece are when Alex shares about his brother – the genuine emotion behind Alex’s words is heartwarming. He shares the story of winning his first gold back in the Vancouver Games, and finding both the Prime Minister of Quebec and his brother after the medal ceremony. The Prime Minister extends his hand – but Alex says, “One second,” and hugs his brother instead.

Alex explains his reasoning: “He’s always been there for me.”

NBC isn’t allowing the piece to be embedded in blogs, so I can’t share it with you here – however, I do encourage you to watch the story, “Disabled brother inspires Alex Bilodeau’s gold medal run.”

You’ll be glad you did.

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