Long ago, Jeff Shiffrin and Eileen Shiffrin settled in Vail, Colorado, where they raised two exceptional alpine ski racers: Taylor and Mikaela Shiffrin—the most decorated Olympic and World champion. However, the untimely death of Jeff Shiffrin, at 65, at their Edwards home three years ago left the Shiffrin family grievously bereaved. Following this, the alpine skier decided to take a short hiatus from her prestigious skiing career after this heartbreaking incident, but she eventually returned to compete for the US Ski Team.
The two-time Olympian recently took some time to speak to people who are struggling with the loss of loved ones as the holiday season engulfed the entire world in its joyous charm.
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Mikaela Shiffrin talks about sharing kindness this holiday season
As the jingle bells chimed in and the holiday season is embraced by many, Mikaela Shiffrin took to her Instagram, dressed casually, expressing her best wishes for the season in the touching video with the caption, “Happy Holidays.”
The alpine skier recorded herself wishing “happy holidays for those who celebrate Christmas,” she continued by referring to the Instagram algorithm highlighting individuals’ stories who have suffered losses, adding, “Just reminding that sometimes the holidays are not the most joyous time for everybody or grieving a loved one.”
In addition, the 28-year-old went on to say, “Sometimes the most joyous thing you can do is show kindness to yourself and your loved ones.”
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The alpine skier emphasized that it’s okay to not have everything figured out immediately or in the coming years, saying, “just give yourself time to breathe.”
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The man behind alpine skier’s success
The alpine skier’s father, Jeff Shiffrin, worked as an anesthesiologist for Vail Health and Anesthesia Partners of Colorado, where he helped and treated a lot of injured riders and skiers. He was a passionate photographer and frequently made the trip to Mikaela’s World Cup competitions to capture images of her and other athletes from the U.S. Ski Team.
He was incredibly proud of his daughter and seldom appeared in team photos on the podium since he was usually behind the camera catching the action. His contributions to the worlds of riding and skiing are immense.
Written by
Edited by
Purva Jain