The dark side of fame

[Tuffel]

Since I saw Notte Stellata on Saturday, I started to read and think more about Yuzuru. 

First of all, if I'm speaking out of place I will delete the topic.

I find myself extremely moved and inspired yet again by everything he has achieved and the sacrifices he and his family made. 

Watching fans go by on the street fully dressed in Yuzuru Merch, seeing him on the cover of the newspapers, and of course the overwhelming energy I felt in the arena during Notte Stellata, I somehow got really really sad.

After all, he is just a young man, figuring out his life but still so enclosured by his fame. 

 He will never be using public transport, dating Apps, travelling, grocery shopping like the rest of us.

And another thought sparked in my mind. The marriage! I will not speculate yet, still I wonder, if he is still with his loved one. But without his family name instead. Yuzuru always wanted to have children, too. Would he chose a secret life, with a woman and child who could never hold his name or would he wait a couple of years longer to start a family?

Either way, I pray for him that he can have the life, he truly wants some day. He deserves it.

 

[Jylessa]

Hey! So, I will share my thought on this topic...

 

I think this crosses the mind of every fan of anything—Do we fans actually help? Or do we just make our idols’ lives harder?

 

While it’s true that Yuzuru is, quite literally, the epitome of Japanese success, we can’t forget that his fame stems from being an athlete. He’s not a singer, he’s not an actor, he’s not an influencer. And athletes, eventually, retire (and as sad as it may be for many—and for Yuzuru as well—I think it will feel like a weight off their shoulders). And after retiring, they usually lose popularity and go on to live a much simpler life.

 

We must also remember that they themselves chose to walk this path. They are well aware (specially anyone who sets a lofty goal, such as winning two Olympic gold medals) that they will sacrifice many things in life. Loving a sport, having a passion, and being able to make a living from it means you have to sacrifice many things.

 

And while it’s true that it might hurt sometimes (as is human nature, it’s normal), I don’t think he has any regrets. I believe that a happy Yuzuru is a Yuzuru on the ice .