To everything there is a season…a time to live and a time to die. Unfortunately for us this year has been full of people we love leaving this earth. Perhaps not what you expect to hear in the first line of a Christmas letter, huh? But fortunately for all, God sent a Savior so that we might have eternal life, and there’s no better time than Christmas to reflect on the people he’s blessed our lives with. And those friends’ departures from this earth have defined us more than anything else in the last year.
This Bremer Christmas update is in memory of the following friends and family:
--Nina Bremer (Eli’s grandmother)
--Jimi Flowers (Eli’s swim coach and friend)
--Katie Friedman (dear friend and wife of Eli’s groomsman Jon)
--Dane Nowells (friend and political activist)
Given that I didn’t get my usual Christmas letter out last year, we have a lot to catch you up on! 2008 was full of travel for both of us, as we realized that the opportunity to travel abroad could be closing with Eli’s possible retirement from athletics. So Spring and Summer 2008 were full of trips to Madrid, Prague, Budapest, Palm Springs, Chicago, Washington DC, and of course Beijing. In May, I left my job as Regional Director at the American Heart Association (an organization still VERY close to my heart) to pursue several opportunities. First and foremost, I wanted to support my husband in his Olympic endeavors, and the media, sponsorship and PR opportunities we had been working on developing for years were finally coming to fruition. Eli’s business, 5Ring Insight was also coming to fruition, and we all know that startups work best when they have both a visionary (Eli) AND an implementer (me)! As if that weren’t enough reason, we had 20 friends and family to organize overseas travel for AND I was being presented with numerous opportunities in the political arena. That being said, God made it fairly clear that he had other plans for me…
Eli trained as never before during late 2007 and 2008, and his performances were showing that. After a 5th place finish at a World Cup and a 12th place finish at World Championships, Eli was feeling as if an Olympic medal was within reach. So it was with much excitement, focus and determination that he headed for Beijing in early August. After Opening Ceremonies in Beijing, Eli and his teammates flew to a training camp in Singapore. During that trip, Eli had a horrible riding accident—an accident that threatened his ability to compete just days later in the competition for which he had been preparing his whole life. Medical staff in Singapore was unable to get him the treatment he needed, so just a week before he was supposed to compete in Beijing, Eli was put in a neck collar and flown on a redeye back to the Olympic Village in Beijing for medical treatment of severe whiplash and concussion.
There’s a saying in pentathlon that you’re not an Olympian until you’ve fired that first shot (shooting is the first of the 5 pentathlon disciplines). So as family and friends were arriving to watch Eli, he was unbeknownst to most of us, just struggling to reach the competition day and fire that first shot. That he did, as well as competed through all five disciplines in his Olympic debut. Watching him emotionally struggle through a rocky start was one of the most difficult things I’ve ever done, but also the most rewarding. I was so proud of him, and as he finished his long day with an outstanding swim, ride and run, showing his true patriotism and what the Olympics are all about. Friends and family there to witness couldn’t be any prouder. Feel free to hear this story in his own real-time words and emotions at his blog on EliBremer.com.
Eli was disappointed in his 22nd place finish, largely because he knew he had been in the best shape of his life and had been physically prepared up to that point. But with confidence that God reigns supreme in his life, he quickly shifted gears to focus on the upcoming World Cup Final, which was largely against the same Olympic competitors. Eli had promised his teammate Dennis he would train with him just as hard after the Olympics with the goal of Dennis having a good showing at World Cup Final in October. (After being one of three American men to qualify for the Olympics, Dennis was not named to the 2-man team. After that disappointment, Dennis personally committed himself to helping Eli train that last few months before the Games in exchange for Eli’s continuation through World Cup Final in October.) So in Portugal, at what was largely believed to be Eli’s last pentathlon ever, Eli and Dennis showed American strength, finishing 3rd and 4th respectively. Pretty good way to end a career, huh? Maybe…
During the last year and a half since the Olympics, Eli has concentrated on getting 5Ring Insight (5RI) up and running. The company landed its first contract with Lockheed Martin corporate in Washington DC and it’s been off to the races since. Several contracts, alliances and deals are in the works now, and we have confidence that God will provide through at least one of them. Meanwhile, pentathlon underwent a format change, and Eli’s interest in continuing the newly-reformed sport was piqued. So ‘dabbling’ in the new format, building his business, and quite frankly, resting from the pressure of constant performance, was Eli’s story of 2009.
I mentioned earlier ‘political opportunities’ that arose for me last year. After handing over 5RI reins to a newly-hired business manager, I opened my own consulting firm. Specializing in events, fundraising, media and marketing, I have made a name for myself as a political consultant in Colorado. I am continually humbled by the opportunities I am given, and I pray for wisdom as I navigate the ever-changing (and not always reliable) world of politics.
We are also still grateful to have a ‘small group’ of young married friends always with us as we walk through life. Our small group is not so small anymore, as we have grown to 14 couples. (That means there are 28 people around my dinner table when we’re all in town!) We do service projects, dinners, bible studies and outings together, but most of all we enjoy the fellowship of others who are at the same stage of life we are.
On the family front, we have 4 nephews and 2 nieces, and we LOVE being Aunt Cami and Uncle Eli. You will find pictures of many of them in our photo slide show. To sum our life up, we are blessed. Thank YOU for being a part of our blessed lives!
Merry Christmas! Please view our Christmas photo slideshow...
Eli & Cami Bremer
www.EliBremer.com
www.5RingInsight.com
www.CamiBremer.com
This Bremer Christmas update is in memory of the following friends and family:
--Nina Bremer (Eli’s grandmother)
--Jimi Flowers (Eli’s swim coach and friend)
--Katie Friedman (dear friend and wife of Eli’s groomsman Jon)
--Dane Nowells (friend and political activist)
Given that I didn’t get my usual Christmas letter out last year, we have a lot to catch you up on! 2008 was full of travel for both of us, as we realized that the opportunity to travel abroad could be closing with Eli’s possible retirement from athletics. So Spring and Summer 2008 were full of trips to Madrid, Prague, Budapest, Palm Springs, Chicago, Washington DC, and of course Beijing. In May, I left my job as Regional Director at the American Heart Association (an organization still VERY close to my heart) to pursue several opportunities. First and foremost, I wanted to support my husband in his Olympic endeavors, and the media, sponsorship and PR opportunities we had been working on developing for years were finally coming to fruition. Eli’s business, 5Ring Insight was also coming to fruition, and we all know that startups work best when they have both a visionary (Eli) AND an implementer (me)! As if that weren’t enough reason, we had 20 friends and family to organize overseas travel for AND I was being presented with numerous opportunities in the political arena. That being said, God made it fairly clear that he had other plans for me…
Eli trained as never before during late 2007 and 2008, and his performances were showing that. After a 5th place finish at a World Cup and a 12th place finish at World Championships, Eli was feeling as if an Olympic medal was within reach. So it was with much excitement, focus and determination that he headed for Beijing in early August. After Opening Ceremonies in Beijing, Eli and his teammates flew to a training camp in Singapore. During that trip, Eli had a horrible riding accident—an accident that threatened his ability to compete just days later in the competition for which he had been preparing his whole life. Medical staff in Singapore was unable to get him the treatment he needed, so just a week before he was supposed to compete in Beijing, Eli was put in a neck collar and flown on a redeye back to the Olympic Village in Beijing for medical treatment of severe whiplash and concussion.
There’s a saying in pentathlon that you’re not an Olympian until you’ve fired that first shot (shooting is the first of the 5 pentathlon disciplines). So as family and friends were arriving to watch Eli, he was unbeknownst to most of us, just struggling to reach the competition day and fire that first shot. That he did, as well as competed through all five disciplines in his Olympic debut. Watching him emotionally struggle through a rocky start was one of the most difficult things I’ve ever done, but also the most rewarding. I was so proud of him, and as he finished his long day with an outstanding swim, ride and run, showing his true patriotism and what the Olympics are all about. Friends and family there to witness couldn’t be any prouder. Feel free to hear this story in his own real-time words and emotions at his blog on EliBremer.com.
Eli was disappointed in his 22nd place finish, largely because he knew he had been in the best shape of his life and had been physically prepared up to that point. But with confidence that God reigns supreme in his life, he quickly shifted gears to focus on the upcoming World Cup Final, which was largely against the same Olympic competitors. Eli had promised his teammate Dennis he would train with him just as hard after the Olympics with the goal of Dennis having a good showing at World Cup Final in October. (After being one of three American men to qualify for the Olympics, Dennis was not named to the 2-man team. After that disappointment, Dennis personally committed himself to helping Eli train that last few months before the Games in exchange for Eli’s continuation through World Cup Final in October.) So in Portugal, at what was largely believed to be Eli’s last pentathlon ever, Eli and Dennis showed American strength, finishing 3rd and 4th respectively. Pretty good way to end a career, huh? Maybe…
During the last year and a half since the Olympics, Eli has concentrated on getting 5Ring Insight (5RI) up and running. The company landed its first contract with Lockheed Martin corporate in Washington DC and it’s been off to the races since. Several contracts, alliances and deals are in the works now, and we have confidence that God will provide through at least one of them. Meanwhile, pentathlon underwent a format change, and Eli’s interest in continuing the newly-reformed sport was piqued. So ‘dabbling’ in the new format, building his business, and quite frankly, resting from the pressure of constant performance, was Eli’s story of 2009.
I mentioned earlier ‘political opportunities’ that arose for me last year. After handing over 5RI reins to a newly-hired business manager, I opened my own consulting firm. Specializing in events, fundraising, media and marketing, I have made a name for myself as a political consultant in Colorado. I am continually humbled by the opportunities I am given, and I pray for wisdom as I navigate the ever-changing (and not always reliable) world of politics.
We are also still grateful to have a ‘small group’ of young married friends always with us as we walk through life. Our small group is not so small anymore, as we have grown to 14 couples. (That means there are 28 people around my dinner table when we’re all in town!) We do service projects, dinners, bible studies and outings together, but most of all we enjoy the fellowship of others who are at the same stage of life we are.
On the family front, we have 4 nephews and 2 nieces, and we LOVE being Aunt Cami and Uncle Eli. You will find pictures of many of them in our photo slide show. To sum our life up, we are blessed. Thank YOU for being a part of our blessed lives!
Merry Christmas! Please view our Christmas photo slideshow...
Eli & Cami Bremer
www.EliBremer.com
www.5RingInsight.com
www.CamiBremer.com
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