Bernie and Jamie Lillis are proud Olympic parents — sporting the red, white and blue with pride.
“We’re hoping he has a great finish, but we’re really just here to be a part of the Olympic experience,” said Bernie Lilli.
Along with their team pride – the Lillis family wears loss and grief.
In October, their youngest son Michael died in his sleep at the age of 17. The family wears necklaces made by a local artist that contain Michael’s ashes.
Bernie and Jamie once thought they’d send three sons to the Olympics.
“It was always their dream that at possibly 2022, that they would all be jumping together,” Jamie Lillis said.
No one would blame Michael’s older brother, Jonathan, if he had taken a few months off. But instead, he’s competing in PyeongChang.
“When he’s ready to give in or not to as Florida many training jumps or maybe the weather’s bad, he hears his brother saying, ‘Get off your butt and get up there and keep training.’” He said. “And so I think he’s using it as a motivating factor.”
Jonathan wore his brother’s ashes around his neck during the opening ceremony. The loss of Michael will always be there, but his memory will keep pushing his family forward.
“We’ll work on healing as a family and start training again for the next season next year,” Jamie said.
Back in New York, at Bristol Mountain in Canandaigua – where the Lillis family practices – an aerial site is being built in Michael’s honor.
Photos: Freestyle Skiing Men’s Aerials at South Korea 2018
SIERRA NEVADA, SPAIN – MARCH 10: Jonathon Lillis of USA competes during the Men's Aerials Final on day three of the FIS Freestyle Ski and Snowboard World Championships 2017 on March 10, 2017 in Sierra Nevada, Spain. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)
SIERRA NEVADA, SPAIN – MARCH 10: Jonathon Lillis of USA competes during the Men's Aerials Final on day three of the FIS Freestyle Ski and Snowboard World Championships 2017 on March 10, 2017 in Sierra Nevada, Spain. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)
SIERRA NEVADA, SPAIN – MARCH 10: Jonathon Lillis of USA wins the gold medal during the FIS Freestyle Ski & Snowboard World Championships Aerials on March 10, 2017 in Sierra Nevada, Spain (Photo by Laurent Salino/Agence Zoom/Getty Images)
PARK CITY, UT – JANUARY 10: Jonathon Lillis competes during qualifying for the Mens Aerials at the FIS Freestyle Ski World Cup Aerial Competition at Deer Valley on January 10, 2014 in Park City, Utah. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
LAKE PLACID, NY – JANUARY 19: Jonathon Lillis #14 of the USA jumps in the qualification round at the USANA Freestyle World Cup aerial competition at the Lake Placid Olympic Jumping Complex on January 19, 2013 in Lake Placid, New York. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
KREISCHBERG, AUSTRIA – JANUARY 15: Jonathon Lillis of USA competes during the Men's Aerials Final of the FIS Freestyle Ski and Snowboard World Championship 2015 on January 15, 2015 in Kreischberg, Austria. (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images)
SIERRA NEVADA, SPAIN – MARCH 10: Jonathon Lillis of USA wins the gold medal, Guangpu Qi of China wins the silver medal, David Morris of Australia wins the bronze medal during the FIS Freestyle Ski & Snowboard World Championships Aerials on March 10, 2017 in Sierra Nevada, Spain (Photo by Laurent Salino/Agence Zoom/Getty Images)
PYEONGCHANG-GUN, SOUTH KOREA – FEBRUARY 10: Jonathon Lillis of USA in aaction during Mens Aerials qualification in the FIS Freestyle Ski World Cup 2016/17 Aerials at Bokwang Snow Park on February 10, 2017 in Pyeongchang-gun, South Korea. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)
PYEONGCHANG-GUN, SOUTH KOREA – FEBRUARY 10: Jonathon Lillis of USA in aaction during Mens Aerials qualification in the FIS Freestyle Ski World Cup 2016/17 Aerials at Bokwang Snow Park on February 10, 2017 in Pyeongchang-gun, South Korea. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)
