|
Skater Browning has heart of gold
| Source: |
Ottawa Citizen |
| Date: |
April 23, 1994 |
| Author: |
Dave Brown |
Copyright 1994 Southam Inc.
Definition of a nice guy: Kurt Browning. As reported in the Citizen,
Browning made a special effort to cheer Jennifer Atack of Almonte, who
suffers from a particularly painful and virulent form of arthritis. It
is so severe that the 21-year-old relies on a morphine pump to control
the pain, and is bedridden. She appeared on the front page of this
newspaper last Saturday. Her story of determination and courage touched
many, including Browning. She confessed to being one of the skating
star's biggest fans. Arrangements were made to get her by ambulance to
the Civic Centre, to meet Browning and other international stars in
SunLife Stars on Ice. Stories of that meeting didn't give Browning
enough credit, says Jennifer's mother Sandy. It wasn't reported, for
example, that Browning refused a television interview. The idea had been
to capture Jennifer-meets-Browning on videotape, but Browning
cancelled. Says Sandy: "He told me it was a personal thing between
himself and Jennifer. He thought it should be private.
Put stars into eyes
Browning devoted almost half an hour
exclusively to Jennifer, putting stars into the eyes of a young woman
who has had more than her share of pain. Adding to the night-to-remember
was an unexpected treat, courtesy of the Delta Hotel. When Mary Lou
Fisher saw that Saturday story, she called the Atack home and offered a
prize Fisher had won in a radio contest -- a room at the Delta for
Monday night. When Delta heard who was coming, the prize grew, and
space was made available not only for Jennifer and her mother, but also
nurse Maggie O'Brien of Appleton, and ambulance driver Peter
VanDerputten of Carleton Place Ambulance. When Browning was asked to
autograph a special T-shirt for Jennifer, he signed it, "To a real
star. Then he rushed about collecting signatures from other skating
stars.
|
