Leah never forgot her wish to meet Kwan. One thing and another kept them apart until last week when Marie Rinaldi, a Kwan family friend who has befriended the Smiths, paid for Leah and her mother to fly to California and get the skaters on the ice together.
The Smiths also visited Hollywood, the beach and a "Tonight Show" taping, where they got to meet "House" star Hugh Laurie, but their time with Kwan was the highlight of their stay.
Kwan gave them a tour of the rink, which her family owns, and gave Leah some gear from the Turin Games. Leah clutched a belt buckle with an Olympic logo as if it were a precious jewel. "I'll wear it every day," she vowed.
Both glowed when they took the ice. To watch them skate was to see the power of hope and feel the incandescent spirit for which Kwan will be remembered even if she never wins an Olympic gold medal.
They dodged experts and beginners who clung to the boards, Kwan's long black hair flying and Smith's red-brown hair fanning out as she performed spins. Smith asked for help with her salchow jump while Kwan watched.
"I know what's wrong," Kwan said before demonstrating how Smith should lift her leg and hold her arms.
Smith was an awed and attentive pupil. Asked if the experience was all she had imagined it might be, she could manage only a nod.
"We're trying to decide if we're awake or not," Joan Smith said. "This morning she woke up and told me, 'You know you're living a good life when your real life is better than you dreamed.' "
They skated for about an hour before time and tiredness ruled. Leah gave Kwan several presents, including a heart necklace, a bracelet, and a box of Junior Mints, which true fans know to be Kwan's favorite candy. She asked Kwan to autograph some pictures and a book they leafed through together, pausing at a photograph of a short-haired Kwan.
"Why did you cut your hair so short? I must confess I was very disappointed," Smith said.
Kwan laughed, poking fun at her 'do and telling stories behind many photos. She became serious when Smith asked if she will compete in the 2010 Olympics.
"It's definitely possible," said Kwan, 28. "I want to see how far I can train. I have to see how far my body will go. I could get in shape to do the Olympics, I could get in shape to do skating tours or I could get in shape to skate around with my little nieces. We'll see. So far my body is reacting well after being off so long."
