Vancouver, British Columbia (CNN) -- As 14,000 lumps formed in 14,000 throats, Joannie Rochette took to the ice Tuesday night, just two days after her mother's shocking death.
She skated almost flawlessly, earning the third best score of the night in the Winter Olympics women's figure skating short program. But the score really wasn't the most important thing to most people at Pacific Coliseum.
"I watched her as she was about to skate and it looked like she was struggling emotionally," said Bill Thompson, chief executive officer of Skate Canada. "She just pulled herself together and put down a performance that I think -- where she came in is irrelevant -- was so magical and so heroic."
Days after mother's death, Olympic figure skater pushes on - CNN.com
She skated almost flawlessly, earning the third best score of the night in the Winter Olympics women's figure skating short program. But the score really wasn't the most important thing to most people at Pacific Coliseum.
"I watched her as she was about to skate and it looked like she was struggling emotionally," said Bill Thompson, chief executive officer of Skate Canada. "She just pulled herself together and put down a performance that I think -- where she came in is irrelevant -- was so magical and so heroic."
Days after mother's death, Olympic figure skater pushes on - CNN.com