1 00:00:04,160 --> 00:00:09,000 Speaker 1: Hello friends, Welcome to Story Behind Podcast. This is the 2 00:00:09,039 --> 00:00:12,200 Speaker 1: show for people who love hearing a good story and 3 00:00:12,240 --> 00:00:15,720 Speaker 1: who believe the world could use more positivity. We're the 4 00:00:15,720 --> 00:00:18,919 Speaker 1: team behind God Updates and God Too, and we hope 5 00:00:18,960 --> 00:00:22,480 Speaker 1: these weekly short stories will brighten your day. 6 00:00:26,960 --> 00:00:30,280 Speaker 2: Motherhood fuels Alana Myers Taylor as she competes in her 7 00:00:30,320 --> 00:00:34,080 Speaker 2: historic fifth Olympics. Written by Julie Provost read by Jully Provost. 8 00:00:34,880 --> 00:00:38,880 Speaker 2: The twenty twenty six Millennio Cortina Winter Olympics has arrived, 9 00:00:39,120 --> 00:00:41,360 Speaker 2: and with them a lot of talented athletes to keep 10 00:00:41,360 --> 00:00:44,040 Speaker 2: an eye on in a variety of winter sports, each 11 00:00:44,080 --> 00:00:46,720 Speaker 2: of their own story and passions. Alana Myers Taylor to 12 00:00:46,800 --> 00:00:50,080 Speaker 2: forty one, is one of them. The Olympique Blob Sutter 13 00:00:50,080 --> 00:00:52,879 Speaker 2: and most decorated Black Winter Olympic athlete, is also a 14 00:00:52,920 --> 00:00:55,800 Speaker 2: mother of two. She has competed in every Winter Olympics 15 00:00:55,920 --> 00:00:58,560 Speaker 2: since twenty ten. After first trying out for the Olympic 16 00:00:58,640 --> 00:01:01,200 Speaker 2: softball team and not making it, she pivoted to Blob 17 00:01:01,240 --> 00:01:03,840 Speaker 2: the Sutting and years later is now not only a 18 00:01:03,880 --> 00:01:06,559 Speaker 2: decorated athlete, but also a leader and mentor in the sport. 19 00:01:06,959 --> 00:01:08,640 Speaker 2: This is a great reminder to all of us that 20 00:01:08,720 --> 00:01:10,800 Speaker 2: sometimes when life doesn't work out the way we think 21 00:01:10,800 --> 00:01:13,840 Speaker 2: it should, God always has a better plan. Having come 22 00:01:13,840 --> 00:01:16,959 Speaker 2: to Christ as a softball player at George Washington University, 23 00:01:17,080 --> 00:01:19,440 Speaker 2: the athlete shares at the end of the day, I'm 24 00:01:19,440 --> 00:01:21,640 Speaker 2: in the sport to glorify God. So if that means 25 00:01:21,640 --> 00:01:23,640 Speaker 2: I come in last place or I win the gold medal, 26 00:01:23,680 --> 00:01:26,720 Speaker 2: That's what I'm gonna do. Alana is a five time 27 00:01:26,760 --> 00:01:30,080 Speaker 2: Olympic medalist and mother of Nico five and Noah three. 28 00:01:30,480 --> 00:01:33,360 Speaker 2: Nico has Down syndrome and both boys are deaf. Her husband, 29 00:01:33,400 --> 00:01:36,240 Speaker 2: Nick Taylor, is a retired Olympic BOP's letter and they 30 00:01:36,280 --> 00:01:38,600 Speaker 2: work together as a family to make her dreams a reality. 31 00:01:39,040 --> 00:01:41,600 Speaker 2: Her boys are her biggest motivator. It's so much fun 32 00:01:41,600 --> 00:01:43,640 Speaker 2: to have my boys with me, she says after having 33 00:01:43,640 --> 00:01:45,399 Speaker 2: them with her on the road in an interview with 34 00:01:45,440 --> 00:01:48,200 Speaker 2: ABC ten. So much chaos. I miss a lot of sleep. 35 00:01:48,440 --> 00:01:50,280 Speaker 2: Don't get me wrong, it would be a lot different 36 00:01:50,280 --> 00:01:52,760 Speaker 2: if they weren't here. They're my biggest motivators to have 37 00:01:52,800 --> 00:01:54,920 Speaker 2: them by my side. She loves that they can be 38 00:01:54,960 --> 00:01:57,920 Speaker 2: there meeting her teammates and meeting people from all over 39 00:01:57,960 --> 00:02:00,480 Speaker 2: the world, and of course watching people achieve their goals 40 00:02:00,480 --> 00:02:03,160 Speaker 2: at the highest level. Alana then goes on to share 41 00:02:03,200 --> 00:02:06,080 Speaker 2: what is harder being an Olympian or a mom. Being 42 00:02:06,080 --> 00:02:08,200 Speaker 2: a mom is way harder than being an Olympian. I 43 00:02:08,240 --> 00:02:10,920 Speaker 2: can't even put into wards the comparison, she says. She 44 00:02:11,000 --> 00:02:12,880 Speaker 2: even compares getting her kids out of the house for 45 00:02:12,960 --> 00:02:15,760 Speaker 2: school to an Olympic event. This is so relatable to 46 00:02:15,800 --> 00:02:18,440 Speaker 2: anyone with children. Not only is having her kids with 47 00:02:18,480 --> 00:02:20,680 Speaker 2: her in her Olympic world good for them, but is 48 00:02:20,680 --> 00:02:22,960 Speaker 2: also good for others. With Nico, A lot of times 49 00:02:22,960 --> 00:02:25,079 Speaker 2: that people we meet he's the first person with down 50 00:02:25,080 --> 00:02:27,480 Speaker 2: syndrome they have ever met, or my kids are the 51 00:02:27,480 --> 00:02:30,600 Speaker 2: first deaf people people have ever met. It normalizes disability 52 00:02:30,639 --> 00:02:34,400 Speaker 2: in a sense the Olympian chairs. While Alana admits that 53 00:02:34,480 --> 00:02:36,640 Speaker 2: it's all hard, it's also a way for her to 54 00:02:36,639 --> 00:02:39,200 Speaker 2: continue pursuing her goals and be an example to her kids. 55 00:02:39,560 --> 00:02:41,480 Speaker 2: When asked about our goals for the twenty twenty six 56 00:02:41,560 --> 00:02:43,960 Speaker 2: Olympic Games, she shares that she hopes to win two 57 00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:46,280 Speaker 2: gold medals. It would be an absolute dream to be 58 00:02:46,360 --> 00:02:49,320 Speaker 2: able to give my sons two gold medals. I feel 59 00:02:49,360 --> 00:02:51,880 Speaker 2: like Noah would probably take both of them, she says 60 00:02:51,919 --> 00:02:54,040 Speaker 2: with a laugh. They're the reason I'm out here doing this. 61 00:02:54,320 --> 00:02:55,760 Speaker 2: If I could bring a medal home to them, it 62 00:02:55,800 --> 00:02:58,600 Speaker 2: would be an amazing drink. Nick her husband is also 63 00:02:58,600 --> 00:03:00,560 Speaker 2: a big support, from taking care of the kids to 64 00:03:00,639 --> 00:03:03,720 Speaker 2: helping her train. It's wonderful that she does have such 65 00:03:03,760 --> 00:03:06,520 Speaker 2: a supportive spouse who also as a retired Bob's letter 66 00:03:06,840 --> 00:03:09,280 Speaker 2: knows what it's like to compete in the sport. When 67 00:03:09,320 --> 00:03:11,720 Speaker 2: it comes to the Olympics bringing people together, she shares 68 00:03:11,760 --> 00:03:14,440 Speaker 2: that the message of the Olympics is huge, especially you know, 69 00:03:14,520 --> 00:03:17,200 Speaker 2: it feels so divided in this country sometimes, but the 70 00:03:17,240 --> 00:03:19,560 Speaker 2: Olympics is a place that doesn't matter what your political 71 00:03:19,560 --> 00:03:22,160 Speaker 2: stance is. It doesn't matter your background. It is one 72 00:03:22,200 --> 00:03:24,079 Speaker 2: moment where you can all sit together and cheer on 73 00:03:24,160 --> 00:03:27,560 Speaker 2: Team USA. Then she was asked about what she might 74 00:03:27,600 --> 00:03:30,440 Speaker 2: do after her own the career is over. She then 75 00:03:30,480 --> 00:03:33,320 Speaker 2: shared her strong passion for disability, noting that she has 76 00:03:33,360 --> 00:03:36,800 Speaker 2: served on the Georgia Council of Developmental Disabilities. If I 77 00:03:36,840 --> 00:03:39,279 Speaker 2: can combine my love of the Olympics and the Paralympics 78 00:03:39,320 --> 00:03:42,520 Speaker 2: with advocating for people with disabilities too, then that would 79 00:03:42,520 --> 00:03:45,320 Speaker 2: be the dream and those on her team. They also 80 00:03:45,320 --> 00:03:48,040 Speaker 2: support her boys in so many ways, including trying to 81 00:03:48,080 --> 00:03:50,200 Speaker 2: learn asl to sign with them and do what they 82 00:03:50,200 --> 00:03:53,640 Speaker 2: can to help them and Alana too. When asked what 83 00:03:53,720 --> 00:03:55,280 Speaker 2: she does to be able to focus on her race 84 00:03:55,320 --> 00:03:57,280 Speaker 2: when the time comes, she says, believe it or not, 85 00:03:57,400 --> 00:04:00,560 Speaker 2: I think most parents can appreciate this. When I have 86 00:04:00,680 --> 00:04:03,880 Speaker 2: that moment before competing, it's like my time. It's finally 87 00:04:03,880 --> 00:04:05,920 Speaker 2: time to focus on myself and make sure that I 88 00:04:06,000 --> 00:04:08,760 Speaker 2: have whatever I need to do whatever I set out 89 00:04:08,800 --> 00:04:11,440 Speaker 2: to do well. It must be a balancing act between 90 00:04:11,520 --> 00:04:15,120 Speaker 2: kids and Olympic career. Alana is nailing it, and her communities, 91 00:04:15,160 --> 00:04:17,560 Speaker 2: both the Bob's Led and Deaf communities, is a big 92 00:04:17,600 --> 00:04:20,080 Speaker 2: reason why me and my husband have always had the 93 00:04:20,080 --> 00:04:22,200 Speaker 2: conversation that if it got to the point where Nico 94 00:04:22,240 --> 00:04:24,520 Speaker 2: needed us to not Bob's Led, we'd quit Bob's lead, 95 00:04:24,880 --> 00:04:26,760 Speaker 2: or if Noah needed us to not Bob's Lead, we'd 96 00:04:26,839 --> 00:04:29,520 Speaker 2: quit Bob's Lad. But somehow, with a great community around us, 97 00:04:29,760 --> 00:04:31,320 Speaker 2: we've been able to make it work, she said in 98 00:04:31,360 --> 00:04:35,159 Speaker 2: an interview with NBC Bay Area. We wish Alana Myers 99 00:04:35,200 --> 00:04:37,479 Speaker 2: Taylor good luck she competes in the Bob's led races 100 00:04:37,480 --> 00:04:40,520 Speaker 2: at the twenty twenty six Winter Olympics in Italy. Hopefully 101 00:04:40,520 --> 00:04:42,280 Speaker 2: she can earn her two gold medals and give one 102 00:04:42,320 --> 00:04:44,359 Speaker 2: to each of her boys. What a special thing to 103 00:04:44,400 --> 00:04:46,560 Speaker 2: be part of as a young child. Many blessings to 104 00:04:46,600 --> 00:04:49,400 Speaker 2: her and her family. I fought the good fight. I 105 00:04:49,400 --> 00:04:52,080 Speaker 2: have finished the race. I have kept the faith Second 106 00:04:52,120 --> 00:05:09,240 Speaker 2: Timothy four to seven. After a five hundred footfall, this 107 00:05:09,279 --> 00:05:12,840 Speaker 2: paraglider's survival feels nothing short of a miracle. Britt Bay 108 00:05:12,880 --> 00:05:16,040 Speaker 2: had the riggleman read by Julie Propost after a five 109 00:05:16,120 --> 00:05:19,120 Speaker 2: hundred foot fall. This paraguider's survival feels nothing short of 110 00:05:19,160 --> 00:05:22,279 Speaker 2: a miracle. The sky was bright over Seer Island that Friday, 111 00:05:22,360 --> 00:05:24,440 Speaker 2: the kind of Florida sun where the water shimmers like 112 00:05:24,480 --> 00:05:26,760 Speaker 2: broken glass and the wind carries the scent of salt 113 00:05:26,760 --> 00:05:29,640 Speaker 2: and sun. Beach towels were laid out, children were laughing, 114 00:05:29,720 --> 00:05:31,600 Speaker 2: and somewhere above it all, a fifty two year old 115 00:05:31,640 --> 00:05:36,479 Speaker 2: man from Palmasso Beach lifted up from Ocean Cay Park 116 00:05:36,600 --> 00:05:40,160 Speaker 2: in Jupiter, trusting the quiet mechanics of his powered paraglider 117 00:05:40,360 --> 00:05:42,960 Speaker 2: and the steady current of the breeze for a few moments, 118 00:05:42,960 --> 00:05:45,880 Speaker 2: he was simply a small silhouette against a wide blue canvas, 119 00:05:46,200 --> 00:05:48,320 Speaker 2: a reminder of how easily we forget how thin the 120 00:05:48,360 --> 00:05:52,000 Speaker 2: space is between ordinary and extraordinary. Then, in an instant, 121 00:05:52,040 --> 00:05:54,520 Speaker 2: everything changed. A sudden gust of wind caused part of 122 00:05:54,520 --> 00:05:57,920 Speaker 2: his parachute to collapse, and witnesses watched in horror as 123 00:05:57,920 --> 00:06:02,279 Speaker 2: his paraglider sprawled out of control. The whole scene was 124 00:06:02,320 --> 00:06:05,760 Speaker 2: captured on camera as the bright canopy folded inward and 125 00:06:05,800 --> 00:06:09,240 Speaker 2: the craft twirled rapidly before plunging nearly five hundred feet 126 00:06:09,279 --> 00:06:12,520 Speaker 2: towards the ocean below. But in that terrifying descent, Mercy 127 00:06:12,600 --> 00:06:16,400 Speaker 2: was already moving. Lifeguard Sarah Williamson noticed something was wrong 128 00:06:16,440 --> 00:06:19,279 Speaker 2: before the fall even ended. I noticed the paraglider kind 129 00:06:19,279 --> 00:06:22,680 Speaker 2: of going in an interesting pattern, she said. Instinct kicked in, 130 00:06:22,720 --> 00:06:25,719 Speaker 2: and so did compassion. I just started running, and I 131 00:06:25,800 --> 00:06:28,800 Speaker 2: radioed my other partner. We grabbed our rescue tube and 132 00:06:28,880 --> 00:06:32,040 Speaker 2: our rescue board and paddled out in tandem. Near my 133 00:06:32,160 --> 00:06:34,880 Speaker 2: Beachgoers were already swimming toward the man, their hearts faster 134 00:06:35,000 --> 00:06:37,839 Speaker 2: than their strokes. The shermaned not to let fear have 135 00:06:37,920 --> 00:06:41,800 Speaker 2: the final word. Miraculously the man surfaced Starkeler happened to 136 00:06:41,839 --> 00:06:44,440 Speaker 2: be nearby. I helped free him from the tangled equipment. 137 00:06:44,560 --> 00:06:48,440 Speaker 2: WILL rescue teams raced towards them. When Sarah finally reached him, 138 00:06:48,480 --> 00:06:50,800 Speaker 2: she later reflected on the moment with a quiet awe. 139 00:06:51,160 --> 00:06:52,760 Speaker 2: Once I got back out there and saw that he 140 00:06:52,800 --> 00:06:55,320 Speaker 2: was above water, not drowning, and alive, we brought him 141 00:06:55,360 --> 00:06:58,440 Speaker 2: back in. Though shaken and full of shock and adrenaline, 142 00:06:58,480 --> 00:07:01,160 Speaker 2: he was uninjured. A truth. This still feels nothing short 143 00:07:01,160 --> 00:07:03,560 Speaker 2: of a miracle. Five hundred feet. It's a number that 144 00:07:03,600 --> 00:07:07,480 Speaker 2: feels almost abstract until you imagine the fall, the helplessness, 145 00:07:07,600 --> 00:07:09,560 Speaker 2: the split second where life could have turned in a 146 00:07:09,560 --> 00:07:12,040 Speaker 2: different direction. When I heard the number, I was quite 147 00:07:12,080 --> 00:07:15,040 Speaker 2: blown away, Sarah admitted, five hundred feet is an incredible 148 00:07:15,040 --> 00:07:17,960 Speaker 2: thing to survive. It could be so much worse, And 149 00:07:18,080 --> 00:07:20,560 Speaker 2: yet in this story the ending is marked not by tragedy, 150 00:07:20,600 --> 00:07:23,960 Speaker 2: but by grace and strangers who ran towards danger, by 151 00:07:24,000 --> 00:07:26,480 Speaker 2: water that held, rather than harmed, by a god who 152 00:07:26,520 --> 00:07:30,720 Speaker 2: still weaves protection into the unexpected. There is something holy 153 00:07:30,760 --> 00:07:32,960 Speaker 2: in how this story lingers a gentle reminder that we 154 00:07:33,000 --> 00:07:35,560 Speaker 2: are never as alone as we feel when the ground 155 00:07:35,600 --> 00:07:39,000 Speaker 2: gives way beneath us. Sometimes help arrives in the form 156 00:07:39,040 --> 00:07:42,840 Speaker 2: of lifeguards springing across the sand, strangers swimming through waves, 157 00:07:43,160 --> 00:07:45,200 Speaker 2: or a breath that returns when we feared it wouldn't. 158 00:07:45,760 --> 00:07:48,240 Speaker 2: And sometimes it arrives as a whisper of hope that 159 00:07:48,360 --> 00:07:52,040 Speaker 2: carries us home safely. The Lord is my strength and 160 00:07:52,120 --> 00:07:54,640 Speaker 2: my shield. My heart trust in him, and he helps 161 00:07:54,680 --> 00:07:56,920 Speaker 2: me Psalm twenty eight s Heaven. 162 00:08:03,800 --> 00:08:06,960 Speaker 1: Thank you so much for listening to Story Behind podcast. 163 00:08:07,480 --> 00:08:09,760 Speaker 1: We're really glad you joined us for this week's story. 164 00:08:10,560 --> 00:08:13,000 Speaker 1: To see photos and videos that may have been referenced 165 00:08:13,000 --> 00:08:15,840 Speaker 1: in this episode, check out the links and the show notes, 166 00:08:16,400 --> 00:08:19,320 Speaker 1: and if you enjoyed what you heard today, subscribe to 167 00:08:19,360 --> 00:08:22,920 Speaker 1: our podcast and please tell a friend about us. We'd 168 00:08:22,920 --> 00:08:24,960 Speaker 1: also love it if you'd rate us and leave us 169 00:08:25,000 --> 00:08:27,920 Speaker 1: a review. It really does help more people find us. 170 00:08:28,520 --> 00:08:31,240 Speaker 1: Story Behind is a Salem Web Network production.