Eighteen-year-old Torin Yater-Wallace is the youngest X Games medalist in history (he took silver in 2013 in the SuperPipe event) and is the first skier to have landed a double cork 1440 during a competition. And after suffering from a collapsed lung and several broken ribs before his Olympic-qualifying runs, he still managed to land a spot on the team as a discretionary pick. In other words, the dude has ball of brass.
Also: 6 insane sports that belong in the Winter Olympics
As he waits for his time to shine on February 18, Yater-Wallace can be found holed up in Sochi where he’s been scarfing down free Big Macs, hanging out in Procter & Gamble’s Family Home, watching his fellow Americans ski, skate, and luge their asses off. Yet despite all of the excitement and anticipation, he hasn’t forgotten what’s most important to him.
“I wouldn’t be the person I am and wouldn’t be where I am in my skiing career without my mom and without her teaching me everything and raising me the way she did,” he says. “I think she did a great job.”
Also: 8 mothers who don’t deserve Mother’s Day
It makes sense then, that as a way to show his gratitude, Yater-Wallace joined up with the P&G Thank You, Mom campaign. “Everything about my mom makes me a stronger person,” he adds.
