"Johnny Weir!" just kinda says it all.
The following was originally sent in as a comment on yesterday's blog. But it is so beautiful that I couldn't bear to leave it in the comments, where people may or may not find it. So I asked the author, the lovely Annie featured in one of yesterday's photos from the Clifton book signing, if she would be willing to be today's guest blogger. And all our lives are richer because she said yes.
Johnny announced yesterday that he is asking fans to donate just $1 each to Skate for Hope, the charity show this June for which he is one of the headliners. Skate for Hope is a premier figure-skating event benefiting breast cancer research and awareness. Johnny's goal is to raise $10,000--but if all his Facebook fans donate just $1 each, we could raise more than $50,000!
As Annie explains below, she has a different type of cancer. But, as she so graciously said to me, "Research for one cancer helps all cancers." So please read her story, and then please consider helping Johnny meet his goal by visiting his Skate for Hope donation page.
Johnny Live: The Experience of a Lifetime
by Ann Henriques, guest blogger
I am rarely able to see Johnny Weir perform live, even though I live only 30 miles north of New York City. I admit to giving in to the too-tired, too-nervous, crowds-scare-me issues. But that's mostly because I have cancer. Ovarian cancer. And it's incurable.
Here is why I think you MUST experience Johnny in a LIVE performance and / or meet-n-greet venue whenever and as often as possible.
We all know that figure skating is beautiful, and no one makes it more so than Johnny. My wife, Kathy, and I have seen Johnny perform live just once, at an Ice Theater of New York event. We saw "Heartbroken." Johnny makes figure skating fluid and dramatic. But I cannot tell you how blown away I was when I saw him do a JUMP LIVE. Yes, beautiful. Yes, skilled. But I literally felt an explosion of POWER in my chest when he took off and then landed a jump. Like a firework. BANG. I had to see him LIVE to feel this. The power that it takes him to propel himself into the air and land while rotating was incredible and can actually be felt. But the BANG is something you have to see LIVE to feel.
Johnny's world premier performance
of "Heartbroken," Ice Theatre of New York,
April 29, 2010.
Then there is actually meeting Johnny in person.
I'd missed Johnny's first New York City book signing because I had chemo that day. So Kathy made Clifton happen for me. And Tuesday this week I found myself face-to-face with Johnny Weir for the first time.
Johnny has an ethereal beauty. I saw it on TV in the first moments of his Fallen Angel free skate in Vancouver during the Olympics. And I saw it when we walked up to the table at Barnes and Noble in Clifton, NJ, and introduced ourselves. When you meet Johnny, he looks you straight in the eyes and never becomes distracted. I was so nervous, and Kathy later told me my voice was turning into a whisper. But even though Johnny could barely hear me, Kathy said he just leaned closer and closer so he could hear me. He makes your time with him all about YOU.
At some point in your few seconds with Johnny, he WILL smile that disarming, warm, kind, and fun smile. He did with us. WOW. Then I started telling Johnny about missing his New York City book signing, which included my personal chemo / cancer conversation. And I told him how he had inspired me over the last year and gotten me through so many difficult times. I looked at my Kathy for confirmation, and she had tears rolling down her cheeks. Then I looked back at Johnny, and there was such pain in his face that it broke my heart. I told him not to be sad. But it was as though he could feel what we were feeling, which so surprised me. Remember, we're in a line with SO many people waiting. But he stopped the world for us when we met.
I also met Tara, who is sweeter than sweet, happier than happy, and kinder than kind; and her boyfriend, Josh, who is a patient and lovely man.
And then Johnny stood up. I tried to tell him not to, knowing how busy he was, but he looked at me like, "Are you kidding me?" And he walked up to me and gave me a hug. And then he hugged Kathy. And then he asked the B&N folks to take our picture. And Kathy took out her iPhone and he put his arm around me.
So here's something else you will never experience if you don't meet Johnny in person and have that amazing moment of having your photo taken with him. You are putting your arm around an Olympic athlete who is one of the top athletes in the WORLD. And he FEELS like an Olympic athlete--strong like steel.
But his arm around you feels like an angel protecting you.
And suddenly Kathy and I became THOSE people whose iPhone camera was not working right. So I told Johnny not to worry and tried to walk away. NOT. He calmly said, "We are going to make this happen." And he stood there till we got it right. And he stood there till the B&N folks got a photo of Johnny, me, and my Kathy.
Johnny, Annie, and Kathy
at the Clifton, NJ, book signing.
Then he hugged us each again. The Olympic athlete. Who smelled so nice. Whose physique radiates power. As he hugged me and I tearfully thanked him (into his shoulder) over and over for all he's done for us, how grateful I was to him (and I heard myself say, "and your mom," who is an inspiration herself), I felt as though negative energies were flowing out of me and love was filling the space. It was a "healing" hug. Gentle AND powerful. From Johnny Weir. A man I'd never met before that night. He touched our hearts.
So I find myself also grateful to the Johnny Weir fan community for promoting love. It's everywhere I turn. It's healing for me.
Thank you, Binky (my sparkly fairy godmother-tress), for knowing how to live and teaching me what you learned. ♥♥
Thank you, Tara, for your exuberance and kind soul. You are a good daughter, Tara. Your mother must be so proud. ♥♥
Thank you, Josh, for caring for Tara and for patiently sharing her with Johnny's fans. And for being so nice to us when you meet us.♥♥
Thank you, Barnes and Noble, Clifton, NJ, for organizing such a lovely event that gave Kathy and me such a moving experience. ♥♥
Thank you to Johnny's fans who I missed in Clifton :( and all of you who send me virtual love DAILY: @DauphineDW, @JEKitten, @Moo58, BSonTwit ... Who will I see at SFH? ♥♥
Especially thank you, Johnny, the Olympic Athlete and Angel who is gentle AND powerful and gives the best healing hugs. You stand up for our equality and you help us fight cancer. Your amazing gift of love on Tuesday will stay with Kathy and me forever. You are our hero. ♥♥
OH, and if and when you can ... SEE JOHNNY LIVE. Your heart and soul will be better for it.
Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes ...
--1 Corinthians 13:7
Please join Annie and Kathy in seeing
Johnny LIVE at Skate for Hope
on Saturday, June 18, in Columbus, OH!
Johnny LIVE at Skate for Hope
on Saturday, June 18, in Columbus, OH!
(Same weekend as the Annually Awesome
Columbus Gay Pride Parade--win-win!)
"Buy my single,'Dirty Love' via iTunes.
Tell all your friends to as well. The more copies sold
takes me one step closer to making a video! №1!"
THE WORLD NEEDS THIS VIDEO
IN THE SAME WAY THAT IT NEEDS AIR.
IN THE SAME WAY THAT IT NEEDS AIR.
You know what to do.
or just click the "Buy" button on the player
at the top of the blog!
Hey, Welcome to My World also is available
as an eBook! More info on Johnny's website!
