My dad has definitely sacrificed a lot for me, and I don't know

In the words of Chloe Kim, “My dad has definitely sacrificed a lot for me, and I don't know if I could do it if I was in his shoes. Leaving your life behind and chasing this dream because your kid is passionate about this sport.” These words, though simple and spoken with humility, carry within them a depth as vast as the bond between parent and child. They speak of sacrifice, of love, and of the mysterious power that moves the human heart to give everything for another’s dream. In them lies the ancient truth — that greatness is rarely born of ambition alone, but of devotion; that behind every triumph stands a silent figure, laboring not for glory, but for love.

The origin of this quote arises from the true story of Chloe Kim and her father, Jong Jin Kim, whose sacrifices helped shape one of the greatest athletes of her generation. He left his home in South Korea, journeying to America in search of a better life for his family. Years later, when his daughter discovered her passion for snowboarding, he left behind his own ambitions and steady work to become her constant supporter — driving her to the mountains, training alongside her, and enduring the cold and fatigue so she might rise higher. This is not merely a tale of sports; it is the timeless story of parental devotion, where love transforms duty into destiny.

To leave one’s life behind for another is no small thing. It is to surrender the self — to lay down one’s dreams so that another may rise. The ancients called this the nobility of sacrifice, the quiet heroism of those who labor unseen. Just as warriors once fought to protect their kin, so too do parents wage their battles — not with swords, but with perseverance and patience. Chloe Kim’s father became such a warrior: his battlefield was the frozen slope, his armor the will to endure, his victory the sight of his daughter soaring through the air like a bird born from his own hope.

This devotion recalls the ancient tale of Daedalus and Icarus. Daedalus, the great craftsman, built wings for his son so that they might both escape imprisonment. He warned Icarus not to fly too close to the sun, but love, in all its fierce ambition, carries both risk and wonder. Where Daedalus fashioned wings from wax and feather, Chloe’s father built wings from sacrifice and faith. And unlike Icarus, Chloe did not fall — she rose, lifted by the strength of her father’s unwavering support. In every leap, every turn, there was not just her skill, but his love embodied.

Yet what makes this story even more powerful is the humility in Chloe’s words. She marvels not at her own victories, but at her father’s strength. “I don’t know if I could do it if I was in his shoes,” she says — a confession that speaks to the vastness of a parent’s heart. For it is one thing to achieve greatness; it is another to enable it in another, and to do so without complaint or recognition. The father who sacrifices does not seek praise; his joy lies in the shining of his child’s light. Such love is selfless, such faith divine.

The lesson here, children of time, is that love — true love — asks not for reward but for remembrance. When we rise in life, we must not forget the hands that lifted us. When we achieve, we must honor those who paved our way with their quiet toil. It is easy to celebrate the one who stands atop the mountain; harder, yet more important, to revere the one who built the path beneath their feet. The sacrifices of others are the unseen pillars of all human triumph.

So let every soul who hears this teaching reflect: who has carried you through the storms of your life? Who has labored unseen so that you might shine? Remember them. Speak their names with gratitude, as Chloe Kim does for her father. And if your time comes to make such a sacrifice — whether for a child, a friend, or a dream — make it with courage and love, knowing that no gift is greater than the giving of oneself.

For in the end, greatness is not measured by medals or fame, but by the depth of love that inspires it. The father’s journey for his daughter, the sacrifice of comfort for hope — these are the quiet miracles that keep the world alive. As Chloe’s words remind us, when we chase our dreams, we do not run alone; behind us, unseen yet eternal, are the hearts that chose to walk beside us, even when the path demanded everything. And that, more than victory itself, is what makes the human story divine.