Caitlyn Jenner was crying.
It was 2012 and she was in London to help E! News cover the Olympics.
She had taken a break to see the semi finals in track and field. But as she sat in the vast Olympic stadium, watching the athletes put their feet into the starting block, the emotions caught up with her and her eyes filled with tears.
It was just one of my many profound moments with Caitlyn.
NBC is the official broadcaster of the Olympics and as a result E! News had prime position in the media center. The team was so big we even had our own Starbucks!
E! News had a table in the corner. But it felt like the equivalent of the top table at a wedding. We were the cool kids. And that was all because of Caitlyn. Everyone wanted to meet her. Tom Brokaw would come over. And if it wasn't Tom, it was Ann Curry or Matt Lauer. You couldn't help but notice eyes flickering up from computer monitors every time she walked into the room.
Part of Caitlyn's job was to interview the athletes, from Hope Solo to Ryan Lochte. They were starstruck. Here was the ultimate American hero. The 1976 gold medal winner for the men's decathlon and one of the only people who truly comprehends what it feels like to dedicate every waking hour to preparing for just one brief moment. She would look into their eyes and empathize with the struggles and the glory. And they knew she understood.
But it was the fans that really drilled home to us what a huge impact she has had on every generation. We would broadcast from a separate area that overlooked the impressive Olympic stadium. Getting to the other location was a simple journey, if we could hitch a ride on a golf cart and whiz through the crowd. But on the days we had to walk it became a nightmare. What should have been a simple stroll would take twice as long. It wasn't the huge crowd that was the problem, it was Caitlyn's popularity as people jostled to shake her hand. More often than not, they weren't Keeping Up With the Kardashians watchers, but people who knew her because she represents what you can achieve if you put your mind to it. I never saw her say no to a picture, instead her face would light up with pride as they bombarded her with questions.
In between broadcasts, Caitlyn would sometimes sit in the press cafeteria and talk to anyone who approached. She was never short tempered or unfriendly, it was like she was in her spiritual home. And when she wasn't there, she would pass the time with us at the big E! News table. We would often find ourselves filling space with tales of her past adventures and how much she loved her pink Vespa and whether she should get the Olympic-themed manicure. She was so proud to be a part of the 2012 games; her only regret was that her children couldn't be with her. More than anything, she wanted them to understand her past life (in the end, Rob Kardashian did come to London for a short time, he was visiting Rita Ora, his then girlfriend, and Caitlyn was beaming as she showed him around the Olympic Park).
Caitlyn seemed very relaxed and comfortable in her own skin. It's only now we realize what a good actress she is, and the depth of shame she was hiding inside. In retrospect, armed with that knowledge, I wonder if she was lonely. Aside from the few days when Rob was with her, she was on her own, leaving our press area every day to spend evenings and mornings alone at her hotel.
But now she is not alone. We have all heard her story and can't wait to hear more. On Monday, she smashed another world record: amassing a million Twitter followers faster than anyone else on the planet. The same day she became the oldest woman to appear on the cover of Vanity Fair.
In the future, I believe the transgender community will judge time by "Before Caitlyn Jenner" and "After Caitlyn Jenner." Her brave admission represents a tectonic shift.
She has the ability to impact every generation. Here is someone who was already an American hero to millions of people, whether it was through sport or being a part of America's modern family dynasty. But winning a gold medal in the world's most grueling competition wasn't enough for her. Because now she is doing it again, and this time it's much bigger. It's as if everything in her life has been leading up to this moment.
While the reaction to her revelation has been mostly positive, we can't deny that not everyone understands it. But here's the thing, her story transcends the transgender community. It doesn't really matter whether you agree with her actions because it's much bigger than that. It's a message to all of us, whether you are transgender, gay, straight, in a bad relationship, or unhappy in your job. I think most of us agree we should all have the freedom to be honest with ourselves, whatever our circumstances.
It's possible her story will save lives. And maybe she can even help reduce the heartbreaking statistic that 41 percent of transgender people attempt suicide. But there are others she can touch too. How many people who take their own life cannot be honest with themselves, no matter what form it shows itself in? Probably most of them, and those are the people she can help as well.
Welcome to a new world with Caitlyn Jenner.