Figure skaters unite digitally by submitting videos to help fundraising effort for health care workers
U.S. figure skater Brian Boitano, center, who won the gold medal, is flanked by silver medalist Brian Orser, left, of Canada, and bronze medalist Alexandre Fadeev, right, of the Soviet Union, at the medal ceremony following the men's figure skating competition at the Winter Olympics in Calgary, Canada, on Feb. 20, 1988. (AP file photo)
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- U.S. figure skater Brian Boitano, center, who won the gold medal, is flanked by silver medalist Brian Orser, left, of Canada, and bronze medalist Alexandre Fadeev, right, of the Soviet Union, at the medal ceremony following the men’s figure skating competition at the Winter Olympics in Calgary, Canada, on Feb. 20, 1988. (AP file photo)
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- Olympic figure skating gold medalist Scott Hamilton arrives for Figure Skating In Harlem’s annual gala “Skating with the Stars” at Central Park’s Wollman Rink in New York in April 2007. Despite having no ice on which to perform, more than 40 figure skaters from nine countries will take part in a fundraiser Friday to help health care workers on the front lines battling the new coronavirus. Such Olympic and world champions as Hamilton, Michelle Kwan, Brian Boitano, Kurt Browning, Ekaterina Gordeeva and Evgeni Plushenko have compiled videos as part of the one-hour event “Blades for the Brave.” (AP file photo)
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- U.S. figure skater Brian Boitano, center, who won the gold medal, is flanked by silver medalist Brian Orser, left, of Canada, and bronze medalist Alexandre Fadeev, right, of the Soviet Union, at the medal ceremony following the men’s figure skating competition at the Winter Olympics in Calgary, Canada, on Feb. 20, 1988. (AP file photo)
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- Olympic figure skating gold medalist Scott Hamilton arrives for Figure Skating In Harlem’s annual gala “Skating with the Stars” at Central Park’s Wollman Rink in New York in April 2007. Despite having no ice on which to perform, more than 40 figure skaters from nine countries will take part in a fundraiser Friday to help health care workers on the front lines battling the new coronavirus. Such Olympic and world champions as Hamilton, Michelle Kwan, Brian Boitano, Kurt Browning, Ekaterina Gordeeva and Evgeni Plushenko have compiled videos as part of the one-hour event “Blades for the Brave.” (AP file photo)
Such Olympic and world champions as Scott Hamilton, Michelle Kwan, Brian Boitano, Kurt Browning, Ekaterina Gordeeva and Evgeni Plushenko have compiled videos as part of the one-hour event “Blades for the Brave.” It will be streamed on Bladesforthebrave.org as well as Americares’ Facebook and Twitter feeds and its YouTube channel.
Hamilton, the 1984 Olympic gold medalist, four-time world champion and skating icon, eagerly joined when approached by Tara Modlin-Maurizi of Fireworks Sports Marketing.
“If skating is doing something to be a part of making the world a better place, safer place, and getting money and supplies for those who desperately need it, absolutely I will participate in any way,” he said. “The health care community is being blasted like we have never seen before and was not prepared for this.”
Americares is delivering protective gear and other critically needed supplies for health care workers in COVID-19 hot spots worldwide. In the United States, Americares has delivered masks, gloves and disinfecting supplies to heath facilities in 25 states. The organization also is training health workers in infection prevention and control, mental health and psycho-social support, and disaster preparedness.
Footage for the event will include Hamilton rollerblading in video shot by his usual partner on such ventures, his son, Maxx, who plays hockey; Browning displaying the dancing feet that made him a world champion, but on the street with no skates; Paul Wylie and family doing a “Star Wars” routine in their driveway; and Michal Brezina working out, with his newborn baby at his side.
