MILAN — The city welcomed the Olympic torch on Thursday as massive crowds gathered for a glimpse of the flame. Schoolchildren, office workers, couples on afternoon walks and more than a few accidental onlookers who rushed outside to see what was happening formed a chorus of support around Utah Olympic leaders Fraser Bullock and Gail Miller.
While most marveled at the fanfare and celebration, some paused to guess at who the torchbearers were — but only after trying to snap a selfie or reach out to touch the flame. A few even wagered that Bullock was actor Steve Baldwin. And when Miller passed through, many watched in reverence, whispers of “que bella” drowning out the inevitable “who is she?” questions.
Miller closed out Utah’s presence along the relay route, running last among the six Utah torchbearers who carried the flame through northern Italy. After Spencer P. Eccles, Dale O’Blia, David Huntsman and Amy Garff each took earlier legs in the name of youth sport, athlete development, mental health and education, Miller carried the torch through Milan’s CityLife shopping district on Thursday afternoon in the spirit of community and volunteerism.
“It was so emotional to know all those people were here cheering for the same thing and I get to be part of it. They don’t even know who I am,” said Miller. “But isn’t that the exciting thing about the Olympics? It brings people together.”
Miller last ran the Olympic torch during the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City alongside her late husband, Larry Miller.
Miller smiled at the chaos of the crowd as she moved through the Italian shopping center, saying it captured what she believes defines the Olympic movement and what Utah hopes to carry forward in its planning.
“We lit this flame, and it’s burning across the world in anticipation of something bigger and better, together,” she said.
Though at times it seemed the tidal wave of people pouring in for a photo might overwhelm the torchbearer and her crew, Miller didn’t balk.
“Oh, I hope we’ll have more crowds than that in Utah,” she said. “I mean, that was a big crowd, but that’s one thing we can make happen. We’ve got eight, nine years to be able to bring this all together. We can do a lot to bring people together, give them experiences, and opportunities to volunteer to be a part of it.”
In her role as a captain of Podium 34, a Utah legacy fundraising initiative ahead of the 2034 Games, Miller said the relay offered a reminder of how much the Games extend beyond competition. She emphasized the importance of participation from volunteers to spectators in creating an Olympic experience that builds community.
“They all wanted to just be a part of it,” Miller said. “And the magic of the Olympics is that they can be. They can volunteer and be a part of what’s going on. These are things that the future brings for the youth of today.”
Though she couldn’t see much of the city beyond the crowd pressing in, she said she could clearly see what the next eight years could look like for Utah.
“Everyone is just excited for what’s coming. Excited to be a part of something bigger than they are. Even if they’re not an athlete, they can be part of it by being here, by watching, cheering, by participating,” said Miller.
Employees flooded storefront displays and kids shouted from balconies above to cheer on the passing flame.
“Those kids, they didn’t know who I was. They wanted a picture of that torch. Everybody puts at least a little bit of themselves in that flame, and when it’s put together on the cauldron, we’re all burning brightly together,” said Miller.
Bullock, president and executive chair of Utah 2034, the organizing committee for the 2034 Winter Olympic Games, has felt that electricity before. He said there is nothing like it.
“This is the magic of the torch relay,” said Bullock, who ran the torch ahead of the games in 2002 and 2010. “The Olympic flame brings unity and hope and inspiration. They just want to be part of it, and the torch does that.”
