High in the Savoie region of the French Alps, on the shores of a beautiful glacial lake, in an 11 th century castle, during the 1992 Winter Olympic Games... I met destiny.

We (the U.S. men's downhill team) had arrived a week before the Olympic Games to begin downhill training. Upon check-in and credentialing at the United States Olympic Committee's 1992 Winter Olympic headquarters (the castle), I proceeded into the foyer to find my hotel room number...there destiny took my breath away.

She (Toni) found my name on her clipboard and gave me my room key...and in so doing, unlocked the key to my heart. I proceeded to my room as her perfume mesmerized and wafted through my consciousness. I dumped my bags in my room and asked my teammate, " Did you see her!?" I stood next to her, that evening, at an athlete's security briefing. Wow. Whoa.

We all meet people who make us look again...and again. She is that. We were to begin training two days later and three days before the Opening Ceremonies. We had a day off the next day so I mustered the courage and asked her out for dinner. Toni was managing ATT's family program for the USOC during the games. The service helped American families with travel packages to France to watch their family members compete in they Olympic Games. My mother had written Toni a thank you letter, two months prior, thanking her for all the travel planning/logistical help she provided. It was the only thank you letter Toni received from all the American families. Thanks Mom... Toni remembered you and that distinguished me. She said "yes" to dinner.

We dined in a quaint little French restaurant in the beautiful French town of Annecy (Google it and select "images"!). We talked for hours, lost track of time and our waiters were too polite to interrupt and tell us the restaurant had been closed for over a half an hour. We drove back to the castle and every doorway was locked! Without hesitation, I rock climbed the castle walls (30 ft.), crawled through a window and let the maiden into her castle. We said goodnight.

The next morning, my teammates and I drove two hours to the ski resort of Val d'Sere which was both our competition venue and Olympic Village. After our first day of downhill training, I got frantic a call from Toni asking if I had the car keys to her 'official/issue Olympic' car. Oops...serendipity. I quickly sent the keys down with a courier and a private note. I certainly left an impression.

I competed in the downhill and did not finish. I had four days before my next competition. With one day off, I asked again for dinner. We first watched the U.S. vs. Germany hockey game and then dined in a very small, very cozy, deep-in-the-forest log cabin restaurant with a big roaring fire right next to us .... as good as it gets folks. We drove back to the castle and I parked the car on the shores of the beautiful glacial lake (Lac d'Annecy). There we kissed for the first time.... tres jolie!

I competed in the Super-G a few days later. I made one tiny mistake and went from 3 rd on the top half of the course to finish a respectable 13 th. I took maximum risk with maximum effort and Toni was there to watch me compete. The first picture of us together was taken by a teammate of mine shortly after I finished my race. We used it for our wedding invitation. Fifteen years later, Istill introduce her as my Olympic Golden moment. I'm still in wonder love with her and our three beautiful daughters (Annecy, Bell and Siena). Today is Toni's birthday (Valentines day)... and exactly 15 years ago today, I was wondering what may come of my chance meeting with a beautiful black-haired, sparkling brown-eyed, worldly-wonderful, pixie-dust woman during the Olympic Games... fantastico... Life is beautiful! I love you babe, jeff