Fort Myers city council member reflects on Olympic experiences

For Liston Bochette, the Olympics hold a special allure.

"It's an addiction. You're around good people, with positive attitudes, who all say we can do anything," said Bochette, a Fort Myers City Councilmember for Ward 4.

Bochette represented Puerto Rico internationally in the decathlon before experiencing his first Winter Olympics as an official in 1988.

"I was chef de mission, which means you have ultimate authorities like a captain of a plane or a boat. And that's a lot of weight because you have to make serious decisions on behalf of other people. We had security briefings every morning, security briefings every evening, transportation, it's a full-time job," said Bochette.

He later became a winter Olympian, joining the Puerto Rican bobsled team for three consecutive Olympic Games, from 1992 to 1998.

"It's exhilarating. You can tell when someone likes bobsled cause they'll go down and say when can we go again. If they don't like it, they'll say, I'll never do it again. So it's like being in the boxing ring with Mike Tyson and you have a blindfold on and you get beat up a lot but it's part of the adventure," said Bochette.

In his final games, Bochette carried the Puerto Rican flag during the opening ceremonies.

"When you walk out there, you feel very special. You want to give back to your family, your friends, your communities and you want to make them proud of you," said Bochette.

Bochette continued to unite the Olympic community as the Secretary General of the World Olympian Association, helping Olympians transition after their competitive days.

"You compete for four, eight, 12 years and when you walk out of the stadium, it's very depressing. Because no one wants your autograph anymore. So we're trying to get these guys a better education, better job placement, and in retirement, fraternity and social accumbent," said Bochette.

Despite his athletic achievements, Bochette's gold medal came from his artistry.

"The Olympic games are about society. And you can't just put it into a basketball game or a soccer game. But it's all about society, fraternity and relationships," said Bochette.

It's the relationships that cross boundaries that Bochette cherishes the most.