National Geographic Special

Me, at the center of the screen, talking to a reporter while watching Tonya Harding compete at the Olympics

So, I posted earlier this year that an NBC camera was focused on my face as I watched Tonya Harding skate at the Olympics. About a month ago, National Geographic Channel backed up my claim. In their segment about the Tonya Harding/Nancy Kerrigan scandal, they showed a brief clip of me sitting at the table watching Tonya skate as I talked to a reporter. I'm seen at the 5:50 mark, after Hillary Clinton speaks: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9clPzA6BXX4

It's taken me a while to come to terms with this. It was just unbelievable to be watching TV, and then see my younger self on the screen. Plus, there was the embarrassment of it all….

I defended Tonya against the world media back then. I was on TV defending Tonya so much back then that I became something of a celebrity myself. Family across the country saw me, and all my friends were talking about it. I had complete strangers coming up to me and saying things like, "I really agreed with what you said on the news last night…."

I went through years of trying to forget all of this.

But I look back now and am no longer embarrassed. Here's why: at base, all I was trying to do was what you're "supposed" to do -- support a home-town athlete!

And I sincerely believe Tonya wasn't involved in planning the attack. Tonya had already beat Nancy Kerrigan in competition. And you can hear Tonya say with swagger, "It won't be a real victory until I get a shot at Nancy at the Olympics…." Tonya had beat Nancy before, and she wanted to again. It was just her husband who wanted to get control of her life and career.

And, finally, I now realize something I hadn't realized at the time: I was in love with Tonya. I was very young, and I saw her as a "damsel in distress," someone that the world was beating up on, and I wanted to be her Knight in Shining Armor.…

The opening scene in this National Geographic segment is of Tonya practicing at Clackamas Towne Center before the Olympics. I was there during this practice. (This coverage shows a reporter named Connie Chung. I remember turning to my right one day and seeing her standing 10 feet from me!) It was during these practice sessions that I fell in love with Tonya. You have no idea what it was like to stand only feet from this beautiful young blonde woman with an incredible body as she executes these amazing, powerful leaps.

But it wasn't the leaps that made me fall in love with her. It was when she fell (as is shown in this clip) … and then GOT BACK UP!

My mother watching Tonya Harding skate at the Olympics.

"Tonya Harding is innocent" by Andrew Parodi

Tonya Harding, holding the "World's Greatest" balloon I gave her, 
mobbed by the media shortly after stepping off the plane.

I was the first person to speak to Tonya Harding when she stepped off the plane from the Winter Olympics. I handed her a poem I had written for her, a bundle of flowers, a balloon that said "World's Greatest" on it, and I gently placed my hand on her shoulder and said to her, "I love you." We stood there for a few seconds as the crowd watched and the cameras rolled, as Tonya looked over the flowers.... And then all hell broke loose! The media and the crowd mobbed her. She ended up having to get back on the plane as security got the situation under control.

You have to understand. I was only 18-years-old, and she was the most famous woman in the world. When you are only 18-years-old and the most famous woman in the world describes your penmanship as "beautiful" and expresses interest in meeting you based solely on a letter you have written to her,  it has a HUGE impact on your self-esteem. You see, my first grade teacher had (inaccurately) accused me of being "learning disabled," which had resulted in great anxiety when putting pen to paper and writing. At one point, I was even put on the "special bus" and driven  to another school to something called "remedial reading" -- which was beyond humiliating. All the self-esteem my first grade teacher took away from me when she labeled me learning disabled with regard to reading and writing, Tonya Harding gave me back with her compliment. The way to my heart is to compliment my writing; the way to my soul is to compliment my penmanship.

I'm told the image of me standing there with Tonya was televised across the nation, and most likely the entire world.

Moments after I handed Tonya the flowers, balloons, and poem, and then the media chased her back onto the plane. I'm the guy standing under the words "Bag Claim." My head is directly below the word "Bag."

* * * *

(Note: This is a work-in-progress. In the meantime, here is a phone message Tonya Harding left me a while back: https://vine.co/v/OQMwMeZYXTq )

Signed picture, with message of support, Tonya Harding sent me shortly after she returned from the Olympics.

Me (Andrew) speaking to a reporter as I watch Tonya Harding compete at the Olympics. I'm pictured in profile, seated next to the man near the National Geographic logo. This was aired on National Geographic's special "The 90s: That Last Great Decade" during the summer of 2014.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9clPzA6BXX4

My mother with Tonya Harding at a reception in Tonya's honor at the Multnomah Athletic Club, shortly after the 1994 Olympics. At this event, Tonya went on stage and read to the crowd the letter I had written to her. And then my mother went on stage and Tonya gave my mother a big hug in front of everyone....

My mother on National Geographic Channel's "The 90s." This is when we watched Tonya Harding skating at the Olympics.