'He's only 18': Łı́ı́dlı̨ı̨ Kų́ę́ grandmother excited to see her grandson achieve Olympic dream

Rosemary Gill of Łı́ı́dlı̨ı̨ Kų́ę́ First Nation in Fort Simpson, N.W.T, said she "couldn't believe it" when she heard her grandson Liam Gill would be heading to the Olympics.

"Because he's only 18, some of his teammates are like twice his age," she told Lawrence Nayally, host of CBC's Trail's End. 

She said people across the country have reached out to congratulate her on her grandson's accomplishment. 

"We're very excited about this opportunity, I just hope he enjoys his experience and does well." 

Liam Gill, who grew up in Calgary but is also a member of the Łı́ı́dlı̨ı̨ Kų́ę́ First Nation (LKFN), said he felt mixed emotions when he discovered he would be going to the Olympics. 

"I didn't know how to feel," he told Loren McGinnis, host of The Trailbreaker. 

Liam, who was an alternate for the Canadian snowboard team, said he was waiting to see if competitors from other countries were going to back out, which would allow him to compete. But time was running out. 

"I came to a point where I was like 'I guess I'm not going,'" he said. 

On Jan. 31 Team Canada announced that Liam's teammate, Derek Livingston, was injured during a training run in a way that would prevent him from competing.

"It was pretty devastating to hear," Liam said. 

Livingston has said he is also "devastated" that he won't be participating in the Games but is excited that Liam gets an opportunity.

Within 24 hours, Liam was boarding a flight to China where he will compete in the snowboard half-pipe.

Liam said he appreciated the love and support he's received from LKFN and the entire N.W.T.

Liam is the only Indigenous member of the team, and he said he is proud of his heritage and hopes to inspire a younger generation of snowboarders.  

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