Nevertheless She Persisted

By Michael Caruso

As public defenders, we usually don't prevail on behalf of our clients.  Either because of immovable facts, challenging case law, or self-inflicted wounds, we have an uphill battle. But we persist because of our commitment to our clients and the idea of justice.

While you were sleeping, an Olympic story of persistence played out.  At the 2006 Olympics in South Korea, a premature celebration cost Lindsey Jacobellis the gold medal in snowboard cross. She was 20 years old at the time. At the 2010 Games in Vancouver, she swerved off course during the semifinal and missed the final. In Russia, four years later, she was leading in the semifinal, stumbled, and missed the final again. In 2018, she made the final but came in fourth. During this time, Jacobellis became the most dominant athlete in her sport— 30 individual World Cup wins, 10 X Games gold medals, six world championships. But she had never won Olympic gold. 

Until yesterday. Now 36, Jacobellis's win made her the oldest snowboarder to medal at the Olympics and the oldest American woman to win gold—in any sport—at the Winter Games.

Jacobellis exemplifies what Maya Angelou said about persistence: "You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can come out of it."

Here's to Jacobellis and all those who persist.