Michael Phelps has the most gold medals won by one person in Olympic history with 11 in his war chest. He is five for five in Beijing, setting a world record in each event. And he is going for number six.
But soon after his first Olympic appearance, a family from Morton had the opportunity to meet the amazing athlete.
It is the same smile we've seen a lot during these Beijing games.
But here, it's in Ann Arbor, Michigan with the Koch family from Morton.
"It was cool," said Kristin Koch.
Cool about sums it up for Kristin Koch.
"She had so much fun. She just laughed the whole time in the pool and you could just tell that she was having the time of her life," said Tonya Koch, Kristin's mother.
Through the Make–a–Wish foundation Kristin and her family were flown to Michigan to spend the day with Phelps.
"She's had 14 surgeries and 48 hospital admissions throughout her life. She has a severe lung disease."
Four years later the family still talks about the experience like it was yesterday.
"It just brought tears to my eyes. To think that someone with that stature, such a celebrity status would take time out of his busy schedule to spend time with Kristin and my family," said Koch.
Phelps gave the kids all kinds of gifts including signed swim caps.
Plus the Koch girls had a sweet treat for Michael.
Unknown to the family at the time, Kristin was even an inspiration to an Olympian, who was having a tough time adjusting to life after the Olympics.
"In an article in ESPN Magazine, Michael talked about how two days before we flew to Ann Arbor to see him, he was in the car with all his belongings," said Koch.
He wanted to come home, but his mom convinced him to stick it out... and the Koch's say the article also said how Kristin was his inspiration.
"He talked about how he met this girl who had Down syndrome and health problems. He got to swim with her and her family. She had so much fun in the pool. He realized he needed to get back to swimming for himself. He talked about how Kristin got him back on track," said Koch.
That January 2005 trip to Ann Arbor, Michigan ended up being an inspiration for both Michael Phelps and Kristin Koch.
CINewsNow Notifier
Twitter
Connect With Us