It is with great pride that Bull's Eye Sights and Boss Archery Pro Shop brings to the archery community a glimpse into the 2002 Winter Olympic Torch Relay!

A salute to Pat Dorigatti...

Take me straight to the Olympic torch relay photos!

"I'm Back and STILL RUNNING ON ADRENALINE! Didn't sleep for 2 1/2 Days AT ALL."
                                                                           Pat Dorigatti   February 9, 2002

~ The following events took place on February the 8th in Downtown Salt Lake City. ~

I will try to explain the feeling all though at this time words FAIL me but I will try. I will start with HOLLY COW!!! Add expletives here... The two celebrities on my leg were Larry Miller (owner of the Utah Jazz and his lovely wife) and, Roma Downey of "TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL", UNBELIEVABLE lady! Also had a "MEDAL OF HONOR" recipient we called GRANDPA GEORGE. And, a person who donated a kidney to a friend to save their life named Kim. EVERYONE on my bus of 15 had a story and were VERY MUCH deserving of this honor. I felt in AWE of ALL of them.

We started out at Murry City Hall gathering in a conference room where we all met and talked and had all of the "HOW TOOs" explained to us. It was told to us that approx. 25,000 people were outside on OUR route to view us with about 4,000 right outside the door. These words hit me like a ton of bricks. BUT, when we opened the door to the front of the City Hall to head for the bus, WE were greeted like Royalty, the cheers were DEAFENING (literally). People were high fiving, cheering, grabbing at us, crying, and screaming. I FELT like ROYALTY even though I know I am not but you would have thought we were. I guess in a way we are to some?? Tears RAN from my eyes but I kept them from streaming down my face by smiling to the point of nearly breaking my face.  I was overcome by a flood of emotion I have NEVER felt and will NEVER feel again. I could win EVERY major tournament in the next 10 years, ADD them together and STILL never touch this feeling. The walk was only about 40 yards but OH MY GOD is about all I an say.

When on the bus, we had to have the HEAVY security clear the way for us to move the bus. We were surrounded by onlookers and it was AMAZING. We drove to the beginning of our leg. THE WHOLE TIME THE ROADS WERE LINED WITH SCREAMING PEOPLE with flags, signs, well wishes, and flowers. We stopped at the beginning of our leg in a McDonalds parking lot waiting for the flame to arrive and our first torchbearer Larry Miller to get out and get the torch. The flame was running about 20 minutes late. The bus was surrounded the whole time we sat there. We only had 4" X 4" windows in the bus due to security and safety. People were asking to touch us, high five us and take our pictures. Through the windows is how we communicated. Some would cry when you touched them. I high fived many and shook hands with War Veterans, Police and such by sticking my arm out of the windows. After shaking hands with one older gentleman that was wearing a WW II uniform coat and hat. He stepped back and saluted me. I CRIED LIKE A BABY as well as 3 or 4 other people that witnessed this. I yelled to him that although I was VERY honored, I did not deserve such an honor from him, he deserved MY praise. He said back, "Sir, you honor me by carrying our flame in the country I love." TEARS streamed down my face again. Many of the runners got similar and EVEN MORE amazing things said to them. This one was the one that took ME.

Next HERE COMES THE FLAME, the crowd went CRAZY! Larry got out and off we went. We drove ahead of the runner and MEDIA 1, that was the news men and photographers. Every so often we would stop to let the vehicles security and such regroup behind, ahead and around us. We were locked in. We then would let out another torchbearer and move ahead. At one point we had to stop for the ceremonial lighting of the cauldron back at Murray City Hall. Then we came back by it heading North to my location. We were there for about 20 minutes. THE WHOLE TIME we were stopped, people were cheering so loud it hurt many of our ears and we were INSIDE the bus. At one point during the route a boy about 11 years old asked me if he could give me a high five. I stuck my arm out and gave him one. I GOT MY BUTT RIPPED BY THE SECURITY ON THE BUS. Didn't know we weren't allowed to do that anymore. I soon learned WHY. No sooner did I get my butt chewed and my arm back in, the bus was RUSHED and security had to clear them away. DUMB PAT, DUMB PAT FOR SURE!

Our route covered 6-7 miles and took OVER AN HOUR AND 20 MINUTES to cover this distance - and that was IN A VEHICLE.

I thought I had gauged the rowdiness of the crowd and was TRYING to get my emotions under control and somewhat use to the excitement everyone was seeing and feeling when Roma Downey's turn to run came up. When she stepped out of the bus with her torch the noise was the LOUDEST I HAVE EVER HEARD. Even over the Kiss Rock and Roll band's concert I had went to when I was younger. IT WAS SO LOUD MY EARS JUST HUMMED. I could not make out what the people 6 feet from my window were saying it was so loud. SURPRISINGLY, NO ONE rushed her. They just stayed back and cried, screamed and were overwhelmed by the moment.

Eventually, which felt like about 1 minute, when it was really over 3 hours since we left City Hall, my turn came. I was last on the bus. I was to receive the torch from Terry Johnson, a lovely lady who has done A LOT of good things for her community, and run and light a cauldron on the back of one of the Chevy official vehicles. They handed me the torch and my WORLD WENT BLANK! EVERYTHING was in slow motion. I could not hear the screams, I could not think. My eyes welled up with tears as I thought back to 2000 and I LOST IT. I had approx. 4 minutes to regain my composer. Here comes the hard to explain part.

I stepped off the bus with the torch and the crowd went WILD!! I saw my fiancée Mary and my Dad waiting and crying at my start point. That is the LAST thing that I actually saw with my eyes CONSCIOUSLY.  My torch was turned on (the propane) and I was whisked away by security to behind the Media 1 RV. I stood in the middle of the road and watched Terry Johnson run towards me. I was numb from the neck up and down.  She came towards me. I held my torch high and proud. She passed me the flame, we hugged and I turned. My support runner (I was told later was an under cover FBI agent, I don't know but this is what I was told by The Torchbearer organizer that was with the SLOC) turned me around (Probably so I would run in the right direction because I was GONE mentally by now) and asked me what I wanted to do, Run or Walk. Well I had signed up to run. BUT, my legs wouldn't work that way. So I told him I would walk for a minute. He said, "Mr. Dorigatti let's DO IT!!". We took off walking and I was still not there. I felt like I was outside of my body looking down at myself. I looked over at Mary and she was crying her eyes out and snapping pictures as fast as the camera would operate. My Dad was proud and crying. I looked away for a moment and when I looked back what I saw next took my breath away. I saw my Dad (78 years old, with leukemia), "JOGGING" WITH ME on the sidewalk about 20 feet away. OH MY GOD, I thought. I tried to smile while I walked but I couldn't move ANYTHING in my body. I CAN'T explain what I felt. I can't think of the words. My support runner was told in his ear we were running a little behind and could we pick it up. He turned to me and asked, "Mr. Dorigatti, we are a little behind can you pick up the pace a little and catch up to Media 1?". I said, "Sure I will pick up the pace VERY little."  I still could not get my legs to work right but I tried and started a VERY SLOW jog, this is all I could muster. I asked him if he wanted to hold the torch with me and he said, "Mr. Dorigatti this is all for you and the US, not me. He was truly an HONORABLE man.

I was now coming to the end of my 2/10 of a mile that actually felt like 20 feet. By far the biggest day of my life. The crowd was STILL deafening. Cameras going off, camcorders rolling and people waving. I was stopped at the end by my support runner. Good thing or I probably would have run it ALL the way to the stadium.  I waited for the vehicle mounted Cauldron to come through the crowd and around me. I stepped up and lit the cauldron and turned and addressed the crowd. It wasn't 3 seconds and I was grabbed and surrounded by security, 5 or 6 people and led off to the side where my torch was extinguished. Two seconds later I was grabbed by 2 people and asked if I was getting on the shuttle to go back to the start point and my vehicle, or was I staying with my family. I decided to stay. They said, "It was an honor to serve you sir, Have a great day." I said, "I already have." No sooner had the flame continue on it's way with security, when the crowd surrounded me. I was a little worried but it turned out to be a great experience. I can tell you now I know JUST how the celebrities feel. People were touching me and the torch. Asking to have their pictures taken with me. I was forced away from my family. I stopped and said, "PLEASE let me back to my family". I got back to Mary, gave her a kiss, the crowd went AWWWWWWWW, just like on TV, and hugged my Dad and my son and all of the friends that were there for me. The crowd ALLOWED me to do this.  Next the crowd was back. I took pictures with people. People touched the torch and cried. Hugged me and shook my hand. One gentleman on his cell phone grabbed me and asked my name. I told him and he said "Pat, Say Hello to Portland Oregon", which I did. The fan fare after my torch was extinguished lasted about 30 to 45 minutes as I walked toward my other vehicle. People were running after me to get their picture taken with me . The road was filled with vehicles honking and waving and filming us walking with the torch. People stopped in the middle of the street to get their picture taken with me and the torch. I got to my other vehicle, jumped in and went back to Murray City Hall to get my truck. I was elated.

I hope this lets you all in on a little bit of history and the feelings I felt. I have reread the above and still feel that it does not TRULY cover how I felt. But it is AS CLOSE AS I CAN COME. Thank you all for your support and it was an HONOR to carry the torch for all of you and the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, and my family.

I love you Cathy and I miss you. Same to you Mom.

Pro1 - Pat Dorigatti  February 9, 2002

"This is supposed to be fun or have you forgotten that?"... Cathy 1956-2000

View the Olympic torch relay photos!

From all of your friends and fellow archers, you have represented us well,
Congratulations and Well Done Pat!

read what others are saying

Pat Dorigatti, a life-long Rock Springs resident, will be one of the 11,500 Americans who carry the Olympic torch from Atlanta to Salt Lake City. These Americans were chosen from more than a million nominations.

“I’m pretty excited,” Dorigatti said. He will carry the torch on Feb. 8th, 2002, the day of the opening ceremonies.

The 38-year-old Dorigatti, like the others chosen, will carry the torch for 2/10 of a mile.

Dorigatti’s fiancée, Mary Cloyd nominated Dorigatti for this honor.

“He had a really bad 2000,” Cloyd said adding, “And he didn’t stop.”

In 2000, Dorigatti had six deaths in his family, his wife was murdered and he suffered a house fire. “You’ve got to keep going,” Dorigatti said, “You don’t have a choice.”

His 13  years with the Sweetwater County Search and Rescue also contributed to the selection.

Dorigatti said he didn’t know Cloyd had nominated him until the paper work arrived in the mail telling him of months ago, but he was  instructed

The honor, Dorigatti said, didn’t really sink in until he was looking on the official Web site and found words that made him understand.

“At this moment, no one else in the world is doing this but you,” he said. Normally at any given moment someone somewhere is doing the same thing another person is. That’s not the case with the torch. While he has it, no one else will.

He said that’s what made him realize just what an honor it is.

The torch is 33 inches long and is made of sterling silver, 24-carat gold and glass. It is gas operated. Dorigatti said he has the choice of running or walking, but whatever he does, he must do it under his own power. Each carrier is assigned a support runner to help ensure his or her safety and that of the flame.

When it’s all over, Dorigatti will have a souvenir. He gets to keep the torch he carries in addition to the official uniform he will wear during the run.