Screams, cheers and chants fill St. John's airport as Kaetlyn Osmond arrives home
After a world gold medal and an Olympic bronze, Marystown's Kaetlyn Osmond is finally back in Newfoundland, and the St. John's airport lit up to welcome her.
"I've been able to travel across the world, compete all over the world, represent Canada, [and] represent Newfoundland as many times as I could ever dream of," she told the crowd of about 100 cheering fans.
"It's easy to forget that I came from a small town when I'm travelling around the world. But being from a small town, I get to appreciate it a lot more."
Small kids joined adults and a throng of young figure skaters to chant 'Kaetlyn! Kaetlyn!" as they waited for the skater to appear.
The chants exploded into screams and cheers when they finally caught a glimpse of her.
"It's amazing, it's absolutely amazing," Osmond's uncle, Troy Power, said of the energy and turnout in the building.
Jody Thornbury put 15 hours into her acrylic on canvas painting of Osmond wearing the world championship medal while holding a Canadian flag.
"She did us so proud - Canadians, Newfoundlanders and women," she said.
Osmond is back in the province for a whirlwind week of hotly-anticipated performances and appearances.
On Friday, she'll be at Confederation Building for a meet and greet before heading to CBC studios to be a guest on CBC Cross Talk with Cecil Haire.
On Saturday, Marystown will welcome her with a homecoming parade. That night, she'll perform in the Ice Crystals Figure Skating Club's ice show at the Kaetlyn Osmond Arena.
On April 21, she'll be at the Corner Brook Civic Centre for the Silver Blades Figure Skating Club's annual ice show, and on April 22, she'll be at the Joe Byrne Memorial Stadium in Grand-Falls Windsor for the Sparkling Blades Figure Skating Club's ice show.
