General Yuzuru Chat

[rockstaryuzu]

3 hours ago, barbara said:

but ate a regular diet of tuna quesadillas

Tuna quesadillas? I can't even imagine...

[Umebachi]

4 hours ago, barbara said:

 

Yuzu has been vocal about how much his mother's help, and especially her looking after his nutritional requirements, has been so important to him.  I am certain he is perfectly capable to looking after himself - but he is not a regular 25 yr old (when my son was 25, he took care of all his needs, but ate a regular diet of tuna quesadillas that kept him full and alive but hardly optimum for health).  Yuzuru is a full time elite athlete and a student, living in a foreign country.  By looking after the everyday needs (and, I think you guys are right about helping with the managerial duties), his mother frees Yuzu up to concentrate on his training, his competitions and his academics.  And, he is not socially active so his home is his center.  It offers freedom and balance and psychological support. There is no way to over-estimate how crucial Mama Hanyu has been to Yuzu's success.

 

I recall that when Yuzu initially moved to Toronto in 2012, he came on his own, but then Brian had to ask his mother to join him in Toronto because Yuzu had a bad asthma attack when no one was around to help him  - and his English being almost non-existent in those years must have been quite a harrowing experience for all concerned.   I tried to find the original source but couldn't find it: perhaps a Japanese interview of Brian or it was in Brian's book?   I also heard that as a junior skater he suffered asthma attacks on the plane and his mother would lay him down across the seats to help him breath more easily.  His mother's presence is essential not only as a manager but also as someone knowledgeable about caring for his health. 

 

During one of the backstage TV shots at FaOI (perhaps 2016?) I saw him take a quick puff from an inhaler.  It was a very brief moment - barely a second or two - and he quickly hid the inhaler,  but I recognized that movement since I also used to walk around with an inhaler and took a surrepticious puff from time to time.  I assume his health is getting better, but it's hard to know the exact status since he keeps tight-lipped about his asthma.  For example, at the end of Japanese national last December, he mentioned that he had to deal with "some unexpected issues" just before coming to Japan, but he did not elaborate.  It made me think  that he might have had to deal with another asthma attack.  This is purely speculation on my part - but when you have asthma, you live in constant fear of an unexpected attack.   I hope he is doing better and able to overcome asthma as his body matures.  

 

[rockstaryuzu]

1 hour ago, Umebachi said:

 

I recall that when Yuzu initially moved to Toronto in 2012, he came on his own, but then Brian had to ask his mother to join him in Toronto because Yuzu had a bad asthma attack when no one was around to help him  - and his English being almost non-existent in those years must have been quite a harrowing experience for all concerned.   I tried to find the original source but couldn't find it: perhaps a Japanese interview of Brian or it was in Brian's book?   I also heard that as a junior skater he suffered asthma attacks on the plane and his mother would lay him down across the seats to help him breath more easily.  His mother's presence is essential not only as a manager but also as someone knowledgeable about caring for his health. 

 

During one of the backstage TV shots at FaOI (perhaps 2016?) I saw him take a quick puff from an inhaler.  It was a very brief moment - barely a second or two - and he quickly hid the inhaler,  but I recognized that movement since I also used to walk around with an inhaler and took a surrepticious puff from time to time.  I assume his health is getting better, but it's hard to know the exact status since he keeps tight-lipped about his asthma.  For example, at the end of Japanese national last December, he mentioned that he had to deal with "some unexpected issues" just before coming to Japan, but he did not elaborate.  It made me think  that he might have had to deal with another asthma attack.  This is purely speculation on my part - but when you have asthma, you live in constant fear of an unexpected attack.   I hope he is doing better and able to overcome asthma as his body matures.  

 

getting way off topic here, but some kinds of asthma you can outgrow. Mine used to be much worse - in my twenties, I wound up in urgent care needing immediate help  - but now all I get is a bit wheezy and can often get by with very little medication, going years between attacks. I hope Yuzu's asthma is the kind you eventually outgrow.

[FlyingCamel]

1 hour ago, Umebachi said:

 

I recall that when Yuzu initially moved to Toronto in 2012, he came on his own, but then Brian had to ask his mother to join him in Toronto because Yuzu had a bad asthma attack when no one was around to help him  - and his English being almost non-existent in those years must have been quite a harrowing experience for all concerned.   I tried to find the original source but couldn't find it: perhaps a Japanese interview of Brian or it was in Brian's book?   I also heard that as a junior skater he suffered asthma attacks on the plane and his mother would lay him down across the seats to help him breath more easily.  His mother's presence is essential not only as a manager but also as someone knowledgeable about caring for his health. 

 

During one of the backstage TV shots at FaOI (perhaps 2016?) I saw him take a quick puff from an inhaler.  It was a very brief moment - barely a second or two - and he quickly hid the inhaler,  but I recognized that movement since I also used to walk around with an inhaler and took a surrepticious puff from time to time.  I assume his health is getting better, but it's hard to know the exact status since he keeps tight-lipped about his asthma.  For example, at the end of Japanese national last December, he mentioned that he had to deal with "some unexpected issues" just before coming to Japan, but he did not elaborate.  It made me think  that he might have had to deal with another asthma attack.  This is purely speculation on my part - but when you have asthma, you live in constant fear of an unexpected attack.   I hope he is doing better and able to overcome asthma as his body matures.  

 

Woah moving alone to such a far-away foreign country at the age of 17 when he doesn’t know the language well must have been scary - I definitely can’t imagine doing that! 

[IceWings]

5 hours ago, barbara said:

 

Yuzu has been vocal about how much his mother's help, and especially her looking after his nutritional requirements, has been so important to him.  I am certain he is perfectly capable to looking after himself - but he is not a regular 25 yr old (when my son was 25, he took care of all his needs, but ate a regular diet of tuna quesadillas that kept him full and alive but hardly optimum for health).  Yuzuru is a full time elite athlete and a student, living in a foreign country.  By looking after the everyday needs (and, I think you guys are right about helping with the managerial duties), his mother frees Yuzu up to concentrate on his training, his competitions and his academics.  And, he is not socially active so his home is his center.  It offers freedom and balance and psychological support. There is no way to over-estimate how crucial Mama Hanyu has been to Yuzu's success.

 

Your son sounds like my brother. When he started living on his own, his diet was take-out and frozen foods. 

 

Javi lived on his own and Brian said he sometimes came to the rink looking under-nourished, so Brian always had a power shake or something available to help boost Javi's energy for the practice. I'm sure Yuzu can fend for himself too if necessary, but like Barbara said, it's probably not an optimal situation though.

 

 

 

 

[yuzuangel]

what do you say 👀

 

 

[FlyingCamel]

8 minutes ago, yuzuangel said:

what do you say 👀

 

 

Choosing one is way too hard... if we’re talking about “beautiful” and not “handsome” or “cute”, maybe this one. He looks absolutely ethereal.

 

 

[barbara]

3 hours ago, rockstaryuzu said:

Tuna quesadillas? I can't even imagine...

With shredded cheese, of course. Easy, quick and high protein.  He did not get this idea from me. He learned in college.

[ralucutzagy]

1 hour ago, yuzuangel said:

what do you say 👀

 

 

https://twitter.com/mrryrsps/status/1277910613709090817?s=20

[sweetwater]

1 hour ago, yuzuangel said:

what do you say 👀

 

 

 

There must be countless photos that captured beautiful Yuzu so I would randomly pick this one from last season

source

[TallyT]

Oh god, I can't choose there are so many that are just breathcatchingly beautiful, but this recent one...

 

[sweetwater]

Re: how Yuzu moved to Toronto, this is how Noriko Shirota described:

Quote

Offering Hanyu the “Three Choices”

 

Regarding the new training base abroad, I proposed three plans to Hanyu and his parents. First, I find it very important to offer skaters and their family multiple choices when it comes to moving to a new place. I have been sending many athletes to foreign clubs, and I profoundly realized from the experience that however good the coach is, it doesn’t guarantee a good outcome.

 

The major purpose of moving abroad was to learn skating in a better environment. But the fact was that an unfamiliar life was lying ahead. The skater’s personality and life-style, language abilities, whether he had family members who could support him closely, financial conditions ... were all factors only the skater himself and his family knew clearly. Unless all factors taken into consideration and decision made based on comprehensive evaluation, there would not be a good result.

 

One of the choices I proposed was Detroit Skating Club, where Coach Yuka Sato was based. The majority of great American skaters, including Jeremy Abbott, belonged to the club, and a benefit for Hanyu would be no language barrier with the coach. The second choice was Colorado Springs in the U.S. Coach Christine Haigler who teaches there is known for using computer programs to analyse jumps, and was coach of World champion Patrick Chan (Canada). The last of the three choices was the club where Hanyu is at now, the Toronto Cricket Skating and Curling Club in Canada where Brian coaches.

 

Why did Hanyu choose Toronto? Good facilities in the club are certainly important, but first and foremost is that the landscape of Toronto is the most friendly to Hanyu, who has suffered from asthma since a very young age. Colorado Springs is at a high altitude which is too much burden for his body and it is difficult to move without a car in Detroit. In order to cater to his changeable health conditions he needs to have his family living together, and since his family didn’t have a driver’s license at the time, Toronto, which has convenient transport and is safe at night was deemed as best.

 

Quote

Cricket Club Helps Man Spread Wings Around the World

 

About one month after meeting with Brian, I brought Hanyu and his mother to Toronto. Because of the sudden change of base, Hanyu was visibly feeling lonely for having to leave his hometown Sendai and his former coach who had looked after him for a long time. I remember I encouraged him, “Keep growing in the new place, and create results. It will be the best repayment.”

 

After arriving in Toronto, the first place we visited was Toronto Cricket Skating and Curling Club, often called Cricket, where Brian had been waiting. Counting the time when I worked as Minister of the Reinforcement Group, I have visited the club numerous times. But opening the doors after such a long while, the thought came from the bottom of my heart was, “Ah, so fortunate this is the place where Hanyu’s gonna learn.” This place would not only provide him the skating techniques he needed, but also make him a person that would not be ashamed to spread his wings around the world. I had faith in it.

You can read a translation of the whole chapter regarding Yuzu on this planet thanks to @norwhite.

 

According to Ms. Shirota, they were planning to move to Toronto together from the beginning considering his asthma. 
I don't remember reading or hearing "First, Yuzu went there alone, and Brian called his mother later" episode in any interview myself. However, since this is not the first time someone mentioned it here, there might be other versions of Yuzu-coming-to-Toronto episodes from other people.

 

Many people live alone having a chronic disease, but it doesn't mean it is easy or ideal, especially when they are away from their family and friends in a country where people don't speak their language. Also, it is not rare to find a top athlete who doesn't have such a health problem receiving such support from their family in order to bring out their best in competitions.

[Fay]

Hmmm, this seems to be about the exhibition - what’s he saying? 

 

[Lunna]

5 часов назад, yuzuangel сказал:

what do you say 👀

 

 

IB from Olys Chopin - but have not time to search the photo with good angle, better just be gif 

[sweetwater]

1 hour ago, Fay said:

Hmmm, this seems to be about the exhibition - what’s he saying? 

 

He is talking about one of his favorite photos. I'll post a translation later.