Dale Peterman watched and waited. It was all he could do.
His daughter, Sam Peterman, a sophomore at Sweet Home High School near Buffalo, was 100 meters away from finishing the 1,500-meter race in the New York high school state championships at the University at Albany on Saturday. Dale Peterman stood at the finish line.
As Sam sprinted down the last straightaway, she was losing her balance - arms flailing, head cocked back, mouth agape. Her father positioned himself inches behind the line. He knew what was coming.
When Sam crossed the line, she collapsed into her father’s arms. He carried her to the infield grass and laid her down.
“I can’t breathe!” she shouted as a small team of people elevated her legs and offered her bottled water. Dale Peterman told her to calm down, told her it was over.
“Am I getting a medal?” Sam asked between breaths.
“Yes, you’re getting a medal,” her father said. “You went for it.”
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