Hey Ilia,

It didn’t go how the world expected tonight. You helped the U.S. win team gold earlier, but those individual medals slipped away under the brightest spotlight in sports.

Anthony W. Haddad

The Millennial View

All I see now are headlines and short captions replaying every moment over and over. I would be absolutely frustrated if I were in your shoes. At your level, I understand that frustration.

But here’s the truth: You dared to do something most of us will never even try. You pushed the limits of human ability, attempted jumps no one else in the world’s history has landed in competition, and carried the hopes of a nation. That takes courage most of us can’t even imagine.

And let’s be real, you’re 21. Twenty-one. When I was 21, I was just figuring out which bar was next, not which rink I’d be landing quadruple jumps on. The only flips I pulled off were into bed after one too many drinks in downtown San Luis Obispo (and if it was a backflip, something was really wrong with me). You are doing things most of us can’t even dream of, let alone survive without falling.

I know this is your sport, but you kept America, and the world, captivated. That may have not been your ultimate goal, but you achieved it. Every attempt, every jump, every spin had us on the edge of our seats. Even in the falls, we were watching something extraordinary unfold. That kind of magic? Most of us will never experience it.

We Are Not Experts. We Just Have Keyboards

And please, don’t listen to us. We’re keyboard warriors who magically turn into curling strategy experts, figure skating judges, and hockey refs the second the Olympics start. Our hot takes don’t matter. What matters is what you did on the ice, what you dared to attempt, and the incredible risk you took while the world was watching.

Yes, today you stumbled. But you still did something extraordinary. That’s not failure. That’s bravery at the highest level. You’ve inspired millions of us to rethink what’s possible, and to remember that sometimes trying, falling, and getting back up is more impressive than standing on a podium.

So thank you, Ilia. For trying. For inspiring. For showing us what possible looks like, even when it doesn’t go perfectly.

—A Millennial in awe

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