We revisit the Salt Lake 2002 opening ceremony and how it brought a wounded nation and a world together.
The tattered remains of the American flag were whisked high into the air above Rice-Eccles Stadium as the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square belted out "The Star-Spangled Banner".
But it showed more than a symbol of U.S. resilience in Salt Lake City.
It was the remains of a flag recovered from Ground Zero in New York City, site of the September 11 terrorist attacks, the worst in world history.
It was a sign of defiance amidst the suffering and grief many were feeling after over 3,000 innocent citizens perished in clouds of dust and smoke in the blink of an eye.
And, as members of the Lake Placid 1980 gold-medal winning hockey team lit the Olympic Cauldron at the south end of the stadium, it was a sign of hope and healing for a nation and a globe that had little reason to believe in it.
That's what made the 2002 Winter Olympics' opening ceremony so special.
It made the world come together at a moment we needed it, and it reminded us the power of sports and how it can unite even the worst of enemies in a common cause.
You almost never see athletes from diverse places shoulder to shoulder, hand in hand, laughing and sharing stories as if there were no barriers to language or culture.
But when you watch the Olympics, you see hostilities melt, pride pushed aside, and friendships and memories made.
And sometimes, they can last a lifetime.
It's why today, when we will witness the spectacle of another Summer Olympics opening ceremony, we get to experience these things all over again.
The unity. The passion. The pride. The power.
And maybe, just maybe, we may see something we will never forget.