Tonight was special in Vancouver. This was not because South Korean skater Yu-Na Kim broke a world record in the short program at the 2010 Winter Olympics, taking the Gold with great pride. Actually, the night belonged to a young Canadian who took to the ice with her heart in her hand.

That skater's name is Joannie Rochette and her story is bitter sweet.The six-time Canadian national champion came to Vancouver from her home town near Montreal. She crossed the country with her mother, Rochette, ready for the most important performance of her life.

In what is not only sad but a cruel twist of fate, Rochette died shortly after arriving in British Columbia. Joannie's Mom suffered a massive heart attack and was gone in an instant.  Still, the 24-year-old pro skater simply couldn't give up, if not for herself then for her mother who had been with her literally every skate of the way.So, two days later (which is today), Joannie Rochette stoically took to the ice, with a hand slap send-off from her coach Manon Perron.

Then magic happened.The tango music began and the crowd started to clap. They clapped for every jump, for every turn. They clapped for the woman who had lost her mother but persevered, ending their admiration by sending out flower bouquets that flooded the Vancouver Stadium's ice like a storm of love.

And then Joannie broke down.As she started to leave the ice, the grieving daughter doubled over, her black dress glistening like the tears she shed. Then, as Joannie waited to be told her score, she stared straight into the television cameras and said Mother in her native French, repeating herself over and over.

Reality had finally set in for Joannie Rochette.After that, one would think the results of her skating efforts would turn out to be anticlimactic, but oddly the opposite turned out to be true. The scores gave this Canadian skater who just lost her Mother some hope to go on, and to go on in honor of her fallen parent.

Indeed, tonight at the 2010 Olympic Games, Joannie Rochette earned her personal best, taking home the Bronze medal and a memory that will last forever. For her fans, she gave a gift that is more important than any prize. Joannie Rochette is, indeed, a shining star on the world stage.