For those of you who don't know and just surfed on in, Kurt Browning is a four-time Canadian and World Figure Skating Champion (1989-91, '93). He has been credited by the International Skating Union (ISU) with completing the first quadruple jump (a toe loop) in competition at the 1988 World Figure Skating Championships in Budapest, Hungary (where we met, see below) and is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records for this achievement. Kurt also won the Canadian and World Pro Titles (1995-97) three times each and in 1998 added a second US Pro and the inaugural Canadian Open Championships to his impressive resume.

KURT HAS A LIFE OFF THE ICE, TOO!

Born June 18, 1966 in Rocky Mountain House, Alberta, Canada to Neva and Dewey (Arnold) Browning, Kurt was raised in nearby Caroline, Alberta...and is therefore known as "The Kid From Caroline". He has two older siblings: a brother, Wade; and a sister, Deena.

On June 30, 1996, My buddy, Kurt married Sonia Rodriguez, who is a Pricipal Dancer with The National Ballet of Canada.

Kurt Browning and his wife, Sonia Rodriguez, welcomed their new son, Gabriel Browning Rodriguez on Saturday, July 12, 2003. According to Kurt, Gabriel has "black hair and lots of it." Gabriel weighed a healthy 8.5 pounds. We are told both Sonia and baby are doing fine and Dad has remained "amazingly calm." (Congratulations Sonia & Kurt!)
Here's to a great family!!!

KURT & ME

To me, the most important title Kurt holds is "My Buddy." We met in 1988 at the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary.

It was outside the arena. Mom was busy trying to fit my wheelchair into the trunk of the small (understatement) Soviet-made automobile being used to transport us from the hotel to the arena and back. I saw someone running out of the back of the building. It turned out to be Kurt! Because there was no such thing as accessible seating, my wheelchair was put on a platform at rinkside near where Kurt had accomplished his famous "Quad". That was a good thing. He wasn't very famous in those days --especially to an American, like me! I might not have recognized him.

He rapped on the car window, but they weren't electric... and I didn't have the strength to roll them down. So mom had to stop what she was doing to help me. I congratulated him on the Quad. Kurt simply said: "I just wanted to tell you... you are the best fan!" With that, he was gone.

Years later I found out others had told him about me. I had been attending comptitions since 1981, and had been fortunate enough to be befriended by many skaters.

Since then, Kurt & I have formed an enduring friendship, which has truly changed my life. I have been extremely blessed to experience the incredibly warm and caring personal side of this extraordinary man.