Manny Almaguer

Posted February 12, 2026

 

The opening ceremony for the 2026 Winter Olympics on February 6^th has been a bucket list check-off item of mine, since I was young. The Winter Games encompass competition, sportsmanship, pride in country and global camaraderie. My friends and I arrived in Milan, Italy, the day before and once you make it to the airport, you sense that international goodwill is in the air. We are greeted by prideful Italians in Milan/Cortina track suits. They are spreading goodwill, and, yes, it’s more in need now, than it ever has been in my life.

 

We make our way to baggage claim, and we run across five familiar friends that come around every four years to remind us of unity, friendship and respect. These friends are the circular rings of the iconic Olympic logo. My group is drawn to this giant welcoming prop and we take advantage of this photo opportunity and pay homage to the history of international competition; love for our country and for all human beings that share our world. It’s a symbol, and a powerful, universal logo where each ring represents a continent, from left to right, blue, yellow, black, green, red and the white background — to represent “the colours of the flags of all nations at that time, without exception,” according to

Olympics.com.

 

“These five rings represent the five parts of the world, now won over to the cause of Olympism and ready to accept its fecund rivalries. What is more, the six colors thus combined reproduce those of all nations without exception.” -Pierre de Coubertin, Founder of the Olympic Movement.

Standing in front of these five ambassadors immediately makes me pause and reflect. I am here. I am blessed, and I love my fellow man.

 

Once I arrive in Milan, there is a sense of something big going on in the neighborhood, but it’s business as usual today. People living their lives.

 

Workday traffic, cigarette smoke and fast-paced walkers that are heading to their destinations, their safe spaces; as if they know tomorrow, billions of eyes from all over the world will have a peek at their city and country.

 

For me, the next 16 days, I tell myself that we can put the jar of political harm on the shelf and embrace each other; recognize that we are all in this together and trauma, injustice and inequity occur in every one of those five rings. The rings remain circular despite acts and terror that attempt to divide us and turn us against each other. Today, there is anecdotal air here in Milan, and I choose to breathe it in and let this remedy my mind and body.

 

Opening Ceremony February 9^th

 

Outside my AirBnB, I hear sirens and chatter. I look out my window and see a parade route forming. My group heads to the street, it’s mid-day and to us, and we don’t know what is coming behind police escorts.

 

We ask and we are told that this symbol representing the start of the Olympics is coming. The torch. The Olympic torch used to mark the beginning of the Olympic Games, its origin derives from the ancient Olympics, where a sacred flame was kept burning in the Temple of Hera at Olympia.

 

To see this—within a few feet from us—is truly magical. The torch is being relayed to light the cauldron which encompasses the Olympic flame.

 

The Olympic flame is the ideal of the positive values that man has always associated with the symbolism of fire and is the link between the ancient and the modern Games.

 

The arteries of transportation leading to San Sirio Estadio, the location and heart of opening ceremony is crimped off in various areas, halting the blood flow of thousands making their way to the stadium. Bus routes

 

and metro lines closed and forcing many of us to use our pre-cell phone gifts of awareness, spatial orientation and social skills to ask our friendly Italian neighbors and other foreigners for directions. Our

 

group was lost and it was beautiful, for a short time, to be vulnerable and put faith into humanity and kindness to help us get us to our destination.

The stadium, filled with 76,000 brothers and sisters, representing 93 countries, is filled to capacity—SOLD OUT.

 

At the entrance gates, flags are being waved, national anthems are being chanted and winks and nods from all as our respective colors cross each other. Respect.

 

Inside the stadium, the flags of each country being represented are draped from the top of the stadium. The stage resembles a neon “yellow brick road” from the Wizard of Oz. I sit down in my section and I glance

 

around and I am greeted by a man and woman behind me. She is from Norway and he is from Spain. In front of me is a large group from Poland. On my right, an elder couple from China and to my left, two women from Switzerland. We share stories of how we got here, to Milan and what Olympic events we are attending. We honor each other’s journey and when our countries were introduced and the athletes made their way into the stadium, we all cheered. We helped hold each other’s flag. We acknowledged the tears that were shed as we looked around at each other when our country’s athletes entered the stadium. It was tribal.

The 2026 Winter Olympics motto is “US”. It reminded me that outside my pocket and zip code, there is pain, trauma and injustice in every country and community and to be one beating heart for three hours and to celebrate in unity is what many hearts desire. The big draw to the games, of course, is about the competition and support for our country’s athletes. The Opening Ceremony theme reminds me why I am here.

 

Italy calls harmony “Armonia” and I believe this is what called me, my friends and thousands to Milan/Cortina. We crave unity, universal celebration, respect for each other, pride without shame and a positive diversion from divisiveness.

 

Assistant Chief Manny Almaguer is a Denver Firefighter and dedicated advocate of mental health services.