Smiles golden for kids as Olympian Blair visits

Chris Richards / Staff
Champion skater Bonnie Blair greets Harley Deswood, who is being treated at University Medical Center. Mom Arlene Deswood watches.

Raúl Pedraza patiently tried to explain to his 15-year-old daughter what speed skating was and what Olympic gold medal champion Bonnie Blair did.

"My daughter wasn't even born in 1984," the dad said Tuesday morning while sitting in Vanessa Pedraza's room at University Medical Center's pediatrics unit.

That was the year Blair made her Olympic debut in Sarajevo.

"My daughter's clueless," said Pedraza, who does remember Blair in the 1984, 1988, 1992 and 1994 Olympic Games.

Blair came to Tucson on a promotional tour with Bank of America, an Olympic sponsor, to drum up support for the Winter Games, which start Feb. 8 in Salt Lake City.

In addition, the 2002 Olympic torch will make its debut here Sunday as it winds its way to Utah.

Blair made rounds at the hospital, meeting babies on up to teens.

"I'm getting old," Blair quipped to children sitting in the unit's playroom. "You probably don't remember me," said the 37-year-old mother of a daughter, 1, and son, 3.

"I was in four Olympic Games and won five gold medals and one bronze," said Blair, whipping out a marker to autograph T-shirts and postcards.

Patient Harley Deswood of Chinle had his own autograph book ready for Blair's signature. The 13-year-old, who is being treated for a chronic lung disease, smiled when Blair approached him.

Earlier, he acknowledged that he never heard of Blair or knew about speed skating.

But after seeing all the photographers, reporters and television cameras, Harley realized he was meeting someone who did something special.

Blair said she knows what it feels like to be sick in a hospital. Her brother, Rob, was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 1987.

Blair, who retired from speed skating in 1995, founded the Bonnie Blair Charitable Gift Fund. The fund raises money for charities, including one of Blair's favorites, the American Brain Tumor Association.

She said her brother underwent surgery in 1997, and doctors removed half of his tumor. "His seizures have decreased, and he has a job as a sales representative. He leads as normal a life as possible," Blair said.

Vanessa Pedraza, a Cholla High Magnet School softball player, did learn about Blair before she checked out of the hospital. "I think it's cool," she said about the medals Blair had won.

Blair talked to Vanessa about speed skating and autographed a T-shirt for her.

"I know I'm not in prime skating territory, but I do like to play golf," said Blair, mentioning the sunny weather, very different from conditions in the Milwaukee area she calls home.

Blair dominated speed skating and won the hearts of fans who serenaded her during the competitions. She was known as the "golden girl" on the ice.

At UMC, the friendly, easygoing Blair also won smiles from children, parents and the hospital staff.

Blair wished the best to the parents of 15-month-old Timothy Atkins. She told them she would pray that a liver would arrive soon for their son. The boy was awaiting his third liver transplant.

"You hope and pray. There is not a lot you can do," said Blair.

* Contact Carmen Duarte at 573-4195 or at cduarte@azstarnet.com.