“As the last echoes of John William’s timpani reverberated through the stadium, the golden shower of pyrotechnics faded into smoke. It was over... I pulled up a folding chair and just watched. Nothing could describe my feelings; it was foolish to try. For over a year, I had been a very small part of the biggest thing that had ever happened to Utah. Years ago, it had been hard to imagine the Winter Games would come to Salt Lake, and now it was hard to believe they were over.”

Thus begins this remarkable story of how the Winter Games have influenced the life of an enthusiastic fan, culminating in his chance to participate as a volunteer for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, a once-in-lifetime experience. From his earliest recollections of the 1964 Winter Games in Innsbruck, The author traces events in his life that coincided with each Winter Games over the last 40 years. He then describes his experiences from the day that Salt Lake City won the bid (June 16, 1995), through the reconstruction of Interstate I-15, the painful scandal, the horrors of 9/11, and finally the monumental effort to put on the Winter Games of 2002. This account offers a complete and detailed record of one person’s experience through those momentous seven years.

A MUST-READ for any fan of the Winter Games!