Medals and motivation: Olympic athletes bring energy, encouragement to kids at Lehi’s Primary Children’s Hospital
-
- Olympic athletes Tristan Gale, third from right, and Kaysha Love, second from right, play a sports activity with patient Ezekiel Villanueva, while Connor Mantz, third from left, and Erin Jackson, second from left, play with patient Grant Shelley at Primary Children’s Hospital in Lehi on Monday, June 23, 2025.
-
- Olympic athlete Erin Jackson poses for a photo with patient Baelie Pace at Primary Children’s Hospital in Lehi on Monday, June 23, 2025.
-
- Olympic athletes and members of the International Olympic Committee visit with children at a table at Primary Children’s Hospital in Lehi on Monday, June 23, 2025.
-
- Olympic athletes talk with patient Grant Shelley during an event at Primary Children’s Hospital in Lehi on Monday, June 23, 2025.
-
- Olympic athlete Connor Mantz speaks before a crowd of attendees and patients during an event at Primary Children’s Hospital in Lehi on Monday, June 23, 2025.
-
- Olympic athletes Tristan Gale, left, and Kaysha Love, center, play a sports activity with patient Annalea at Primary Children’s Hospital in Lehi on Monday, June 23, 2025.
-
- Olympic athletes Tristan Gale, center, and Kaysha Love, second from right, play a sports activity with patient Ezekiel Villanueva at Primary Children’s Hospital in Lehi on Monday, June 23, 2025.
The 2034 Winter Olympic Games are still nearly a decade away from converging on the Beehive State. But in the meantime, Utah-based Olympic and Paralympic athletes are already promoting the spirit of the coveted sporting event.
Monday marked 2025 International Olympic Day. The global celebration of sport is honored each year on June 23 and celebrates the founding of the modern Olympic Games in 1894, according to the International Olympic Committee’s website.
This year’s theme, “Let’s Move,” aims to inspire people to move more, and that form of movement can look different for everybody, including children facing different medical challenges.
Several Olympians made a stop at Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital campus in Lehi on Monday to visit and build connections with young patients who are dealing with an illness or may be wheelchair-bound.
Athletes also spoke to the patients about their Olympic and Paralympic experiences, in hopes of providing a sense of inspiration.
Olympic gold medalist Tristan Gale, Erin Jackson, Kaysha Love and Brigham Young University alumnus-turned-Olympian Connor Mantz spent part of the afternoon engaging in a variety of playful activities with children to get them up and moving.
A handful of children participated in the simple movements with the athletes like running or playing with a balloon to promote any sort of physical activity.
Gale, who became the inaugural women’s skeleton racing champion at the Salt Lake 2002 Winter Olympics, said she was delighted at seeing smiles on the faces of each of the children she met.
“I love the Olympics, I love the joy of it. I want to share it with everybody and like seeing these kids — it’s everything,” she said.
Love, a native of Herriman and the recent world monobob champion, said bringing the Olympic spirit to young children was a gratifying experience.
She added that being active doesn’t have to require strenuous activities; even simple movements can make a difference in increasing mobility.
“Any type of movement that breeds smiles, laughter and the type of energy that’s meant for healing, that’s what we’re seeing today,” Love said.
When the games and activities were finished, Love shared a message of encouragement with the young patients to never give up on their dreams and aspirations.
Baelie Pace said she felt inspired by Love’s and each of the Olympians’ messages of hope.
“Like some of them said they didn’t see themselves becoming Olympic athletes, but if you just put your mind to it, you can end up in places in life (that) you only dreamed of,” she said.
Pace, 16, of Lehi, was among the many children and teenagers at the Olympic-themed hospital visit.
Although she’s currently in a wheelchair, Pace said she likes watching soccer and would like to compete in the sport someday.
“I’ve found the most fashion in that sport,” she told reporters.
The IOC says the global single-day initiative shines an overall light on the benefits of playing sports and working out together while celebrating the motivation, community and joy that movement with others brings.
