Soon you will be with us, I can’t wait to meet you. For now, all I know of you is your parents, you are one lucky child! They are both such incredible human beings. I am close to your father especially, he and I did great things together. I’d like to tell you what I know about him, it’s a side of his personality that very few people got to see. I hope that one day, you read these lines with a smile.
Thomas and I share the same values, we have the same dreams. Your father is a generous man, I’m very proud to be his friend. He taught me many things about life and myself, I know that he will share that with you as well. When I met him I was naïve and ambitious, proud and brash. He saw something in me, something that I didn’t even see myself. He took me under his wing, taught me everything he knew, helped me catalyze my energy and made me a better man.
He and I spent so much time together, doing what we love, swimming, biking and running, over and over again. We traveled to many places, won many races. We laughed and celebrated, rallied a team behind us. But your father was also there for me when we were far from the podiums, he was there for me when no one else was. Sometimes we argued, disagreed, we even fought at times. But we always respected each other.
I’ll never forget when Thomas and I raced for team France for the first time. We won that race, it was in Florida, we were so strong together that day. Your father is an incredible athlete, a great guide and one of my best friends. I always valued his opinion, cherished his friendship, it brought me a lot of success. So if you don’t mind a piece of unsolicited advice, you should do what he says, it usually pays off!
I wanted to show you this picture, it was at the 2018 NYC Triathlon. Your dad looks like Superman here doesn’t he? Do you see how strong, caring and generous he is there?
Oh, I wish you knew how happy he was when he told me that your mother was pregnant, you already changed his life. Yes, Thomas is a great guide, and he will be a wonderful father. You should be proud of him.
