Iron Mountain Daily News photo Nick Baumgartner and dog Oakley greet fans Monday at a rally in Iron River after returning from the Beijing Winter Olympics, where the 40-year-old athlete won a gold medal Saturday in mixed team snowboardcross with Lindsey Jacobellis.

IRON RIVER — With a gymnasium filled with his fans and a bigger media presence than West Iron County High School has likely ever seen, Olympian snowboarder Nick Baumgartner walked onto the basketball court with a spotlight resting upon him.

Baumgartner, a native of Bates Township and a four-time Olympian, has made this entrance before. But this time was different. This time, the 40-year-old Baumgartner wore a Olympic gold medal dangling from his neck — the medal he earned with partner Lindsey Jacobellis in the mixed snowboardcross competition Saturday in Beijing, China.

The crowd launched into cheers as Baumgartner appeared from the hallway and stepped to the podium. Baumgartner is an experienced speaker and does so extemporaneously. He’s always enthusiastic, always inspirational. But there was one thing that was unlike his other appearances. This time Baumgartner wept.

“It means so much to me to be able to bring this home to you guys,” Baumgartner said, lifting his gold medal to a burst of applause.

It was a celebratory day in Iron River with a lot of love in the air. And why not? It was Valentine’s Day and the community’s hero had returned with the ultimate prize. His return trip went from the Green Bay area through Iron Mountain and then through Florence, Wis., and Crystal Falls.

Baumgartner arrived in Iron River about 5 p.m., where he led a parade that crept down Genesee Street, up Stambaugh Hill and onto the West Iron County campus. As is his style, Baumgartner got up close and personal with those lining the route, walking with his dog Oakley while greeting the crowd.

When he finally reached the school, family and friends were seated and the program was set. U.S. Rep. Jack Bergman of Watersmeet spoke first.

“What an honor for all of us to be here today to celebrate something so positive,” Bergman said.

At the end of his short speech, Bergman said, “I am so proud to say that, from the House of Representatives, you made us all feel a little more American. And thank God for being a Yooper.”

After being presented an award by Trident Maritime Systems, formerly Lake Shore Systems Inc., Baumgartner spoke in his usual warm way. He talked about the disappointment of his loss in the individual quarterfinal. He said that what he wanted more than a medal was to “show everyone that if I hadn’t made that little mistake (in the quarterfinal), that I could have won that individual race.”

And then he turned to the mixed event, in which he was teamed with Jacobellis, whom Baumgartner called “the absolute best female snowboarder of all time.”

The two veterans, one 40 and the other 36, beat all the kids in what used to be thought as a young person’s sport.

“I just hope that people saw what’s possible,” Baumgartner said, breaking down for a moment. “It’s been 17 years of blood, sweat and tears and giving everything I had.”

Baumgartner’s son, Landon Sundelius, a senior at West Iron who is a U.P. champion hurdler, has surely picked up on that attitude.

“He’s shown me that if I never give up and just keep pushing for my dreams, I can do anything, even in the times when I feel I can’t,” Sundelius said.

West Iron County Middle School/High School Principal Mike Berutti said Baumgartner was always about that kind of commitment, dedication and spirit.

“Nick was always full of energy, excited about everything,” said Berutti, who coached Baumgartner in track and football. “It didn’t matter if it was sports or if it was being a teacher’s assistant or pouring concrete, Nick had a flair.

“You knew something good was going to happen with the kid, of course, (but) you never thought he was going to be an Olympic gold medalist. And Nick doesn’t walk by anybody that wants a picture or who wants to say hello. He’s always pleasant with the kids, helpful and this couldn’t have happened to a better person.”

There is a rather unusual bond between Baumgartner and his supporters in and around Iron River. He stands out, for sure, with his variety of Olympic attire. But he’s an everyman there, always approachable, always ready to chat, always ready to connect.

For a person who has seen the world, been on television numerous times and who now is an Olympic hero, Baumgartner is like a charming uncle to many, certainly to the students at Stambaugh Elementary School.

“One of the cutest things that he did was a Zoom with the whole district before the Olympics,” Stambaugh Elementary School Principal Michelle Thomson said. “I think he was in Italy before he got to China. (A student) brought up that (current physical education teacher) Jim Kralovec was one of Nick’s first coaches. This little boy was like, ‘Wait a minute! The Olympian went to this school?! He ran in this very same gym?! Mr. K was his coach, too?'”

Examples like that are plentiful around the West Iron community. And his connection with his hometown and his former school only continues to grow.

“I wanted to show the world what a Wykon can do,” Baumgartner told the crowd. “I sacrificed and worked harder in the offseason that I ever have before. But you guys, we did it!”