When Erin Hamlin hits the luge track next week, she'll have family and friends in Remsen cheering her on. "Everybody was just crazy today talking about it, so today it really hit us it's coming up," says Hamlin's Aunt, Amy Porter Jones.
Jones is flying to Vancouver this weekend to watch the 23-year-old Olympic athlete compete. But earlier on Friday, Jones learned of the death of a Georgian luger on the same track on which Erin will compete. The tragic accident brings back memories of when Hamlin competed in the 2006 Olympics. "When we were in Torino, one of her teammates crashed right in front of us and actually that was it. She had to be taken away in an ambulance and that's my personality. I get very nervous," says Jones.
Dennis Corrigan is a friend of the Hamlins and says Erin has been in some wrecks of her own. When topping out at speeds of more than 85 miles an hour, anything can happen. Corrigan says, "There's not much protecting them, we seen one of her suits last week they crashed and it actually burnt the suit. They're going so fast it just burns through it."
Erin Hamlin is expected to return to Remsen sometime in March. When she comes home safely, there will be a welcome party waiting for her.
