1989 was a special year for us all, but most of us didn’t even know it. On November 11, 1989 in Scranton, Pennsylvania Adam Richard Rippon was born. He was only taking his first few breaths and got his first look at the world, but little did he know how big of a star he would become.
If you watched the 2018 Winter Olympics or read about them in the news at all, you’ve probably heard of Adam Rippon. Unfortunately for myself, I had not known about him before this time and I regret that. Adam came into my life like a blazing ball of fire – suddenly and loudly. It didn’t take long for me to fall in love with his wit, humor and ice skating, of course.
What really caught my eye about Adam is his personality – he is who he is and the rest of the world is just going to have to deal with it. He’s not afraid to share his ideas and thoughts, even if he knows you don’t want to hear them. He’s not even afraid to take on the Vice President of the United States of America. Since his return from South Korea, Adam has taken the media by storm, including making appearances on Ellen and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Adam even caught the eye of many celebrities while still in South Korea, most notably Reese Witherspoon.
First of all, Adam is a fire figure skater. His grace and attitude on the ice are unmatched. He doesn’t do quads like Nathan Chen, but his programs are fun, interesting and enthralling. He is consistent and rarely ever falls – something that I think should have more value in the sport. Before moving up to the senior level, Adam was a two-time Junior World Champion – the first single skater to hold two such titles. Needless to say, he was then and is now a force to be reckoned with. He was a staple in the Olympic Figure Skating Team Event this year, where he earned his highest ever short program score. All in all, don’t count Adam out on the ice (if you couldn’t already tell).
His personality, humor and wit are what grabs attention off the ice though. He would crack interviewers up at the Games and managed to make me, along with millions of others, fall in love with him just from his one-liners. Every time he’s in front of a camera, I can’t help but laugh – often to the point of crying. He never takes himself too seriously and laughs off the little things. I can’t even imagine how much funnier he is off camera. Adam has taken his fans on a crazy, hilarious ride and I love that he can laugh at himself and just enjoy life.
If you haven’t heard about Adam Rippon, you really haven’t been living to your fullest potential. He’s hilarious, talented, determined, strong-willed, fun and all-around seems like a really amazing person. He’s got a lot to teach the world about tolerance, humor and grit and we’ve only just seen the beginning of him. May he continue to bless us with laughter and grace, and may we all find a little to learn from him each day.