Well isn't this fricking precious? Ten-year-old Elijah Porter was heartbroken when the Canadian 4x100 team appeared to take bronze, only to be disqualified for running outside the lane. So Elijah sent a letter to Justyn Warner, Gavin Smellie, Jared Connaughton, and Oluseyi Smith, and included his medal, awarded at a soccer clinic sponsored by Tim Hortons.
Dear Justyn, Gavin, Jarred [sic], and Oluseyi,
I'm Elijah Porter. I'm ten and I live in Newfoundland, Canada. When I heard what happened on Aug. 11, I knew it was wrong. The rules were not right. But, at last, I realized how good you were. We're Canadians. We persevere. We create better lives for each other. The cold didn't stop us from living in the north. We didn't lose the War of 1812. We adapt and survive. We have earned our freedom. Someday, if I become a biologist, if I get rich, and, if I remember, I will donate money to the summer and winter Canadian Olympians. I hope you like the medal!
Elijah Porter
Holy cow. That's the most heartening speech I've ever read. It makes me proud to be Canadian, and I'm not even Canadian. This kid is going to inspire the fuck out of biology.
[Toronto Star, via Hot Clicks]