Gold medal winner Joss Christensen has Gold Hill roots

Joss Christensen was being called the most unlikely gold medal winner in Sochi. He barely made the team, but now he’s making history.

Joss won the gold medal in men’s slopestyle skiing Thursday. This is the first year slopestyle skiing was a part of the games. The gold medal winner is from Park City, Utah, but has Gold Hill roots.

His dad’s side of the family is from the Applegate. His dad, JD, passed away a year ago. Joss’ uncle Dave is a Gold Hill resident. Dave said he’s the worlds proudest uncle, but JD was Joss’ biggest fan.

“Wherever Joss went, JD went too,” Dave said.

Dave said JD taught Joss how to ski when he could barely walk. He believes Joss was thinking of his father during his Olympic run.

“He always said ‘love you dad’ before his run so he was able to pull it off. He wasn’t able to say ‘love you dad’ but he did inside,” Dave said.

And now Joss is dedicating his medal to his late father. Dave said he knows JD is looking down on Joss smiling.

“There would be a lot of hugging,” he said.

Dave said watching Joss compete at the Olympic level has had the whole family riding an emotional roller coaster. First he was a nervous wreck. Now he is elated.

“You always hope that when your kids are doing their career they’re going to be good enough and they’re going to be able to enjoy their life,” Dave said. “And to see all of that happen is really an amazing experience. It truly is.”