John Furlong poses in Vancouver on February 27, 2010.John Gichigi/Getty Images
VANOC chief John Furlong met hundreds, if not thousands, of volunteers during the course of the 2010 Winter Olympics.
But no one made more of an impact on him than a volunteer from Eastern Canada whom he encountered during the Games' closing days.
She spent seven weeks volunteering at the Olympics - against the initial wishes of her family - despite suffering from incurable cancer.
"She thanked me for letting her be in Vancouver, for letting her do what she wanted to do … and enriching her life with the opportunity to help other people," Mr. Furlong told University of British Columbia graduates yesterday, after receiving an honorary degree from the university.
Once the woman began her volunteer stint, her family's opposition melted away, he said.
"Her husband and daughters phoned every day, saying how proud they were … and what a great mother she was."
The volunteer said she couldn't express how much it meant for her and her family, Mr. Furlong added.
He recited the emotional story as an illustration to the graduates, as they leave university behind, of the responsibility that goes with leadership and how good leadership can inspire.
"It may have been my best lesson, to realize the effect you can have on other people, independent of what you achieve in other areas," the VANOC CEO said.
"We can all go a lot of good, and inspire other people," said Mr. Furlong. "If that's the only thing you do with your life, inspiring other people to be the best they can be, that's a legacy on which you can look back proudly."
The normally unflappable Olympic boss seemed more than a little emotional himself at receiving a special doctorate of laws from UBC.
"I never thought I'd see the day in Canada when I would receive this kind of recognition, for something what was just a basic responsibility as a Canadian, to chip in and help achieve something remarkable," said the Irish-born Mr. Furlong, who appeared to choke up as he spoke.
As he concluded his brief address to the gowned and mortarboard-capped students, Mr. Furlong singled out his daughter, two sons, and a grandchild in the audience.
UBC president Stephen Toope said the man who became the face of the 2010 Olympics for Canadians was being honoured for his "extraordinary leadership, for unlocking our pride and patriotism, and well, just for making us better."
The last observation was a reference to the immigration officer who welcomed Mr. Furlong to Canada many years ago with the words: "Make us better".
Mr. Furlong leaves today for a week-long stay in the Russian city of Sochi, host of the 2014 Olympics, where VANOC officials are slated to brief Games organizers there on lessons from Vancouver's successful staging of the 2010 Winter Olympics.