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 00:00:27,360 --> 00:00:30,120 Speaker 2: Dog crashes the twenty twenty six Winter Olympics cross country 7 00:00:30,200 --> 00:00:32,840 Speaker 2: race and sprints to the finish line written by Machaya, 8 00:00:32,880 --> 00:00:35,560 Speaker 2: Go Johnny and read by Julie Provost. When a dog 9 00:00:35,600 --> 00:00:38,280 Speaker 2: crashes the Winter Olympics, nobody can be mad. The pop 10 00:00:38,320 --> 00:00:40,680 Speaker 2: thought he'd join in on the cross country ski race 11 00:00:40,720 --> 00:00:42,959 Speaker 2: with a spirit of his own. The moment lightened up 12 00:00:43,080 --> 00:00:46,000 Speaker 2: than ten's race. The dog appeared on the course of 13 00:00:46,040 --> 00:00:49,400 Speaker 2: the women's cross country team sprint qualifying race, right as 14 00:00:49,400 --> 00:00:52,519 Speaker 2: members of Team Croatia and Team Australia across the finish line. 15 00:00:52,720 --> 00:00:54,640 Speaker 2: The dog, which was wearing a faller, looked at the 16 00:00:54,680 --> 00:00:58,200 Speaker 2: cameras before chasing after the skiers. Anybody lost their dog, 17 00:00:58,280 --> 00:01:01,840 Speaker 2: The encorese announcers joked, it's nice Mutt there, not hindering 18 00:01:01,840 --> 00:01:04,720 Speaker 2: anybody's progress. One of the moments you have to laugh about. 19 00:01:05,160 --> 00:01:08,000 Speaker 2: But you know better. It happened now than during the group'spearns. 20 00:01:08,040 --> 00:01:10,280 Speaker 2: Let's put it that way, they added. The dog then 21 00:01:10,319 --> 00:01:12,880 Speaker 2: sniffed the skiers before heading out over to the post 22 00:01:12,959 --> 00:01:16,840 Speaker 2: finish area. There he got some pets from Olympic volunteers. Omega, 23 00:01:16,959 --> 00:01:19,840 Speaker 2: the official timing sponsor of this year's Winter Games, gave 24 00:01:19,880 --> 00:01:22,520 Speaker 2: the dog its own professional finish line photo, which was 25 00:01:22,560 --> 00:01:27,600 Speaker 2: automathly recorded by Omega Scannovision Ultimate Photofish camera. Before the 26 00:01:27,640 --> 00:01:29,720 Speaker 2: dog got to the finish line, team Sweden had already 27 00:01:29,760 --> 00:01:32,800 Speaker 2: crossed over and won the race. Switzerland won second place 28 00:01:32,840 --> 00:01:34,920 Speaker 2: in Germany one third. The dog is a two year 29 00:01:34,920 --> 00:01:38,920 Speaker 2: old Czechoslovakian wolf dog named Nkol who lives at the 30 00:01:38,959 --> 00:01:41,800 Speaker 2: nearby Ben Breakfast Well. It was a moment of levity 31 00:01:41,800 --> 00:01:45,160 Speaker 2: for some. The wolf dog had others concerned. I was like, 32 00:01:45,280 --> 00:01:48,600 Speaker 2: am I hallucinating, said Tina Hazik, a twenty one year 33 00:01:48,600 --> 00:01:51,000 Speaker 2: old from Team Croatia. I don't know what I should do, 34 00:01:51,160 --> 00:01:53,880 Speaker 2: maybe because he could attack me, bite me. He was 35 00:01:53,920 --> 00:01:55,920 Speaker 2: crying this morning more than normal because he was seeing 36 00:01:56,000 --> 00:01:57,920 Speaker 2: us leaving, and I think he just wanted to follow us. 37 00:01:57,920 --> 00:02:00,680 Speaker 2: One of the dog's owners said he always looks for people. 38 00:02:01,120 --> 00:02:03,360 Speaker 2: His other owner said, we were on the train to 39 00:02:03,400 --> 00:02:06,240 Speaker 2: watch the biathlon. We were there three hours from home 40 00:02:06,400 --> 00:02:09,440 Speaker 2: when friends started sending us videos. That was the panic moment. 41 00:02:09,840 --> 00:02:12,200 Speaker 2: He wanted to look for us. I think because he's 42 00:02:12,400 --> 00:02:13,959 Speaker 2: used to going in that direction where us when we 43 00:02:14,000 --> 00:02:16,040 Speaker 2: go for a walk. She said. He likes to stay 44 00:02:16,040 --> 00:02:18,799 Speaker 2: with his crew. The dog's appearance has now earned him 45 00:02:18,880 --> 00:02:21,560 Speaker 2: worldwide fame. Anyone who is watching the race that day 46 00:02:21,600 --> 00:02:39,079 Speaker 2: will remember him for years to come. Twelve years after 47 00:02:39,080 --> 00:02:41,640 Speaker 2: his death, Officers on her fallen colleague by standing with 48 00:02:41,680 --> 00:02:44,440 Speaker 2: his daughter on her wedding day, Written by the riggleman 49 00:02:44,480 --> 00:02:48,240 Speaker 2: Red Buduley Provost. Twelve years after his death, Officers on 50 00:02:48,280 --> 00:02:50,480 Speaker 2: her fallen colleagues by standing with his daughter on her 51 00:02:50,520 --> 00:02:53,080 Speaker 2: wedding day. Every little girl dreams of the day her 52 00:02:53,080 --> 00:02:55,800 Speaker 2: father will walk her down the aisle. But for Ashlyn Holmes, 53 00:02:55,880 --> 00:02:57,799 Speaker 2: the moment came with both joy and a quiet ache 54 00:02:57,840 --> 00:03:00,120 Speaker 2: in her heart. Gravitation and be ready to share with 55 00:03:00,160 --> 00:03:02,960 Speaker 2: their friends what she did despite losing him. Her dad, 56 00:03:03,000 --> 00:03:05,360 Speaker 2: Officer Brian Holmes, wasn't there to take her arm or 57 00:03:05,400 --> 00:03:08,680 Speaker 2: share that once in a lifetime walk. Nearly twelve years earlier, 58 00:03:08,760 --> 00:03:11,280 Speaker 2: Bryan had died in a motorcycle crash. While on his 59 00:03:11,320 --> 00:03:14,680 Speaker 2: way to work, thirty four year old Chandler, Arizona police officer, 60 00:03:14,720 --> 00:03:16,359 Speaker 2: was struck by a vehicle that ran a red light. 61 00:03:16,919 --> 00:03:19,440 Speaker 2: In an instant, a husband, father, four, a beloved officer, 62 00:03:19,520 --> 00:03:21,720 Speaker 2: was gone, but the men and woman who served beside 63 00:03:21,760 --> 00:03:24,840 Speaker 2: him never forgot the family he left behind. On Ashle's 64 00:03:24,880 --> 00:03:27,080 Speaker 2: wedding day, her family's memory was honored in a beautiful 65 00:03:27,080 --> 00:03:29,639 Speaker 2: and deeply emotional way. At the front of the ceremony 66 00:03:29,639 --> 00:03:31,840 Speaker 2: sat an empty chair. Draped across the back was a 67 00:03:31,840 --> 00:03:33,959 Speaker 2: seat jacket, as if her dad had just stepped away 68 00:03:33,960 --> 00:03:36,240 Speaker 2: for a moment. On the seat rested a frame photo 69 00:03:36,280 --> 00:03:38,760 Speaker 2: of Brian and a fold of the American flag. Beside 70 00:03:38,800 --> 00:03:40,920 Speaker 2: it sat a small wooden sign that read, we know 71 00:03:41,080 --> 00:03:43,200 Speaker 2: you'd be here today if Heaven weren't so far away. 72 00:03:43,840 --> 00:03:46,600 Speaker 2: Before the ceremony began, Ashton, dressed in her white lace 73 00:03:46,880 --> 00:03:50,800 Speaker 2: gown and veil, knelt beside the chair. She quietly wiped 74 00:03:50,800 --> 00:03:52,720 Speaker 2: away tears as she sat next to the tribute to 75 00:03:52,760 --> 00:03:55,120 Speaker 2: the father she loved and missed so deeply. One of 76 00:03:55,160 --> 00:03:58,040 Speaker 2: Brian's former colleagues gently spoke words that seemed to capture 77 00:03:58,040 --> 00:04:00,880 Speaker 2: what everyone in the room felt his chair has his 78 00:04:00,960 --> 00:04:03,320 Speaker 2: picture on it, but he might as well be sitting 79 00:04:03,320 --> 00:04:06,240 Speaker 2: there because he's that close. When it came time for 80 00:04:06,280 --> 00:04:08,760 Speaker 2: Ashton to walk down the aisle, two officers from the 81 00:04:08,840 --> 00:04:11,880 Speaker 2: Chandlerin Police Department stood beside her. The men had worked 82 00:04:11,880 --> 00:04:14,160 Speaker 2: alongside Bryant years earlier, and they had made a promise 83 00:04:14,160 --> 00:04:17,040 Speaker 2: to look after his family on this special day. They 84 00:04:17,080 --> 00:04:20,120 Speaker 2: showed up to keep that promise. The officers honored their 85 00:04:20,120 --> 00:04:23,359 Speaker 2: falling colleague by ceremoniously folding the American flag and presenting 86 00:04:23,400 --> 00:04:26,280 Speaker 2: it to his daughter. Later, one of them even stepped 87 00:04:26,279 --> 00:04:28,080 Speaker 2: in for a moment that would have belonged to her dad. 88 00:04:28,160 --> 00:04:31,479 Speaker 2: The father daughter dance. Ashland later shared how much it 89 00:04:31,520 --> 00:04:33,280 Speaker 2: meant to have the men who worked with her father 90 00:04:33,360 --> 00:04:35,719 Speaker 2: standing there on one of the most important days of 91 00:04:35,720 --> 00:04:38,520 Speaker 2: her life. Having them there, she said, felt like having 92 00:04:38,760 --> 00:04:41,320 Speaker 2: part of her father with her. Her new husband also 93 00:04:41,360 --> 00:04:44,280 Speaker 2: spoke cartfelt words during the celebration, saying that one day, 94 00:04:44,279 --> 00:04:46,520 Speaker 2: when they're all together in heaven, they were able to 95 00:04:46,560 --> 00:04:48,560 Speaker 2: hug Bryan and tell him that his family is still 96 00:04:48,600 --> 00:04:51,880 Speaker 2: surrounded by love. Ashland added that the officers had carried 97 00:04:51,880 --> 00:04:54,880 Speaker 2: something precious for her father all these years. It's like 98 00:04:54,920 --> 00:04:59,280 Speaker 2: she said softly, I got them for you. Proverbs seventeen seventeen. 99 00:05:00,040 --> 00:05:01,880 Speaker 2: A friend loves at all times, and a brother is 100 00:05:01,920 --> 00:05:03,320 Speaker 2: born for the time of adversity. 101 00:05:11,480 --> 00:05:14,640 Speaker 1: Thank you so much for listening to Story Behind podcast. 102 00:05:15,120 --> 00:05:17,440 Speaker 1: We're really glad you joined us for this week's story. 103 00:05:18,200 --> 00:05:20,640 Speaker 1: To see photos and videos that may have been referenced 104 00:05:20,640 --> 00:05:23,520 Speaker 1: in this episode, check out the links in the show notes, 105 00:05:24,040 --> 00:05:27,000 Speaker 1: and if you enjoyed what you heard today, subscribe to 106 00:05:27,040 --> 00:05:30,599 Speaker 1: our podcast and please tell a friend about us. We'd 107 00:05:30,600 --> 00:05:32,640 Speaker 1: also love it if you'd rate us and leave us 108 00:05:32,640 --> 00:05:35,600 Speaker 1: a review. It really does help more people find us. 109 00:05:36,200 --> 00:05:38,880 Speaker 1: Story Behind is a Salem Web Network production.