[Article] Hope To See You Smile Again, Yuzuru

[¯\_(ツ)_/¯]

 

On 2018/2/9 at 午前8時10分, Anyaさんが言いました:

I think this is the original article. I hope someone will kindly fully translate it 

 

 

Here ya go, @Anya:

 

引用

Yuzuru, his autistic friend, the father (of said friend) and the cheering club (he started for him)

 

The PyeongChang Olympics finally kicks off today. Due to an ankle injury, figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu (23) has decided to sit out the team event which starts today and instead set his sights on the men's singles event which starts 16th. Yuuki Sakata (23), a student from Nanakita Elementary & Middle School's special class for handicapped children who shared the same school year as Yuzuru, and his father, Toshiaki (58), sent Yuzuru some handmade gyoza and a newsletter, as a show of support.

 

ーPyeongChang 2018ー

Yuuki has autism and was a student of Nanakita Elementary & Middle School's special class for children with handicap in Sendai. Yuzuru, who was in the same school year, would go spend time with these other children whenever he was able to. He would teach them how to skate during skating lessons, and go along with them on field trips. When the two see each other, Yuuki would call out, "Yuzuru!" and Yuzuru would call out, "Yuuki-kun!" Even when they have both entered middle school, when Yuuki sees Yuzuru, he would call and run up to him with a big smile on his face.

 

His home damaged in the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, Yuuki and his family moved to Kanazawa. Yuuki was very sad to leave his hometown. Three months later, however, Yuzuru came to Kanazawa for an ice show. The Sakatas had planned to visit him during practice as a family, something which Yuuki had looked forward to tremendously. Unfortunately, Yuuki fell sick and had to give up the idea. His father Toshiaki went and, in his stead, asked Yuzuru, "Do you still remember Yuuki?" To which Yuzuru answered with a big smile as he started to recall fond memories, "Of course! Who'd be able to forget him?"

 

Toshiaki was especially touched by the fact that Yuzuru remained essentially the same person he has ever been even after becoming the big star that he still is today. He decided to start a Yuzuru Hanyu cheering club right from home, and self-published newsletters with the title HaNEWS that report the latest news on Yuzuru such as, "Yuzuru shall be doing ice shows!" and "Yuzuru will attempt to reach the top with 5 quads!" Since the publication of the very first issue back in October 2011, 60 issues have been published, with the number still counting.

 

Presently, the club has 150 members. The newest issue of its newsletter released on January 10th includes messages such as, "May you have the best performance and the shiniest smile in PyeongChang! Go for it, Yuzu!" from club members. A copy had been sent to Yuzuru himself who sent back the message, "Thank you very much! It's always a lot of fun to read," on a signed piece of colored paper.

 

"More than simply wanting for him to win, what I really hope for is to see him continue to grow (because) I'm supporting him as a person," said Toshiaki.

 

After graduating from high school, Yuuki has been going to a facility where he is learning to be able to live independently. Even now, whenever he sees Yuzuru on television, he'd call out "Yuzuru!" to the screen. When Toshiaki would say to him, "You should work hard, too, okay?" he would answer, "I will! For the gold medal!"

 

Before the start of each season, Yuuki would send Yuzuru gyoza that he made himself at the facility. Yuzuru's father had sent back a message that says, "Yuzuru loves them very much." 

 

"Even though I'm worried about his foot, I hope he'll be able to fully enjoy himself," said Toshiaki, a fond look in his eyes.

 

(Whooops! I just realized I forgot to do the captions below and next to the images. But the images do kind of speak for themselves so...forgive me, yeah? m(_ _)m)

[robin]

I am not crying

[Hydroblade]

Damn ninjas cutting onions at my office....

[yuzupon]

I just.

I am so proud of Zu.

All the heartache of being his fan.

Is nothing compared to this.

Zu singlehandedly restoring my faith in humanity.

[kaeryth]

He has such a kind and gentle heart

[Maya]

What a beautiful and moving story. Thank you for the translation, which shows us once again Yuzu's noble and pure heart. Considering the intense attention the mass media have paid him since a tender age (14? Or even younger?), if he had shown any problematic behavior, it would have been caught. And yet, I haven't never seen anything of the sort. It's incredible given how much pressure is on him.

 

I also love how people from his hometown have firmly supported him over the years. The videos of them holding hand-written messages to him prior to both Olympic games are so heartwarming, not to mention the turn out in Sendai for the parades after both games. I'm in awe.

[Shii]

He's a real angel

[Birgit]

Thank you for the translation ❤️