Thanks to everyone who signed and shared the petition requesting that USOC name Abbey D’Agostino the flagbearer for the USA during the closing ceremony for the RIO 2016 Summer Olympics. Abbey decided to join her family as they headed back to the USA earlier this morning. Anybody who knows Abbey and her family would not be surprised in the least by this – she has always embraced family, friends and her faith first and foremost. We were overwhelmed by the response to the petition from our friends and from complete strangers, including reporters at USA Today, New York Daily News, MassLive, the Boston Globe and several other outlets throughout the country – those who worked hard to get the word out about the petition and wrote stories about Abbey and her reflection of American values that are too often overlooked in this digital day and age. More than 1200 people signed the petition in under three days. The kind comments many of them wrote about the impact Abbey had on them were tremendously uplifting. When you close one of these petitions out, Change.org asks you to notify the organization you are petitioning and declare victory. USOC actually was notified and very kindly did address the request in the petition directly with Abbey and her family. We are not sure if that was a result of the petition, but it was very kind of USOC to act so proactively following the stunning turn of events during the preceding week. They should be commended But this brings up a question: how does one define victory? Is it the most points scored? The fastest time? The highest jump? The longest leap? The TKO? The pin? The most signatures on a petition? In this case, victory was none of those things. Victory here was an act of kindness being recognized, rewarded and revered by people the world over. A victory like that is a victory for us all. Gold medalist Simone Biles, a gymnast who also personifies the very best of our country not only through athletics but through her actions outside of the arena, has been named to be the flag bearer by her Team USA teammates. Please join us in congratulating her on this great and well-deserved honor. Simone's classy statement on being bestowed this honor: "It's an incredible honor to be selected as the flag bearer by my Team USA teammates,” Biles said in a statement. “This experience has been the dream of a lifetime for me and my team and I consider it a privilege to represent my country, the United States Olympic Committee and USA Gymnastics by carrying our flag. I also wish to thank the city of Rio de Janeiro, and the entire country of Brazil, for hosting an incredible Games.” Thank you again to everyone for your support of this petition. YOU are what keeps America great.