Olympic fever

Noah Berger photo

23 January 2002 |

Oakland lights up with Olympic fever as Boalt Hall graduate Brigham Fordham, ’01, carries the Olympic flame down 51st Street on Friday, Jan. 18. Fordham, 30, who was paralyzed from the chest down after a 1989 auto accident, was among 11,500 torchbearers chosen to participate in the 2002 Winter Olympic torch relay. His ability to inspire others was evident as he carried the torch to the applause of onlookers. Fordham carried the torch two-tenths of a mile, with the help of an Olympic Games aide, before passing it off to the next torchbearer on its way to the winter games in Salt Lake City, Utah. “This year, especially, the torch relay and the games seem to have great symbolic significance,” he said of the honor.