A First and a Hero: Suni Lee

Today I am grateful for restful sleep and for the return of more summer green after several weeks of dry, brown weather. 

I mentioned several female Olympians in my post yesterday. Today's post honor's one: gymnast Suni Lee. Lee returned to her native St. Paul to a parade and celebration yesterday for her and her accomplishments. She won the coveted all-around competition in gymnastics. She also won a silver medal as part of the team all-around competition and a bronze in the uneven bars. 

It was also a celebration of a people, a steadfast community. She is the first Hmong American to compete in the Olympics. Not only representing her USA gymnastics team and her native state of Minnesota, but also the Hmong American community. Fellow Hmong Americans drove hundreds of miles to welcome her home and thank her for her contributions. 

It has been a tough year for everyone because of COVID-19. Asian Americans have been targeted with hate crimes stemming from the pandemic. A reason to celebrate a joyful time is so welcome in troubled times. 

She was also representing her family and the hard work, perseverance, dedication, and love she and her other family members needed to help her get this far. Her dad John Lee was paralyzed in 2019. An aunt and uncle died of COVID-19 last year, and Suni was sidelined by an injury for a couple months too. You want to talk about perseverance!  And she is just 18, set to head off to Auburn University soon.

A hero to many young gymnasts. A hero to fellow Minnesotans. A noticed hero among many unnoticed heroes in the Hmong community.  Congratulations Suni Lee! 

Image from people.com