Not all heroes wear capes. In fact, some wear barely anything at all.
As the world mourned news that Tonga's Pita Taufatofua would be sitting out of the 2022 Winter Olympics, American Samoa's flag bearer Nathan Crumpton made the valiant decision to step up and fulfill our Olympic dreams. Yes, despite the frigid temperatures—we're talking 24 degrees Fahrenheit and -4 Celsius—the skeleton competitor bared his oiled up chest while walking through Beijing's The Bird's Nest during the Opening Ceremony on Feb. 4.
When told he's also a model and photographer, Today's Savannah Guthrie said what we were all thinking: "Well, I might have guessed that, actually. And also, quite courageous to bare the skin in these temps."
After NBC's Olympics host Mike Tirico explained, Crumpton—who also competed at the Tokyo Olympics—was wearing a "'ie tōga, special finely woven mat decorated with red feathers," Guthrie raved, "Well, he wears it well." And we couldn't agree more.
What's more? It seems Taufatofua—who captured eyes and hearts at the 2016, 2018 and 2020 Games—is happy to pass the torch. As he worte on Instagram, "American Samoa holding the fort."
For his part, Taufatofua is focusing on relief efforts following the recent tsunami and volcanic eruption near Tonga. However, he's eager to cheer on his fellow athletes.
"I continue with joy as I prepare to support all the Olympians who have worked so hard to represent their countries," he wrote on Instagram Feb. 1. "They are all flag bearers, they all stand for that voice that calls us all to become our very best."
And who knows? Maybe he'll return to the games one day. As he wrote at the end of his post, "Paris 'we' are coming!"
For every stunning photo from the Opening Ceremony, keep scrolling...