The role of a teenage girl?s big brother is pretty simple ? set a good example, be nice and intimidate boyfriends. But what if you?re the older brother of Kimmie Meissner?
Meissner, currently the defending U.S. and world champion figure skater from Bel Air, has three older brothers ? Nathan, Adam and Luke ? all of whom have become figure-skating fans.
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“She really looks up to them,” said Paul Meissner, Kimmie?s father. “She?s separated by them [by age]. … They?re definitely her big brothers. And they?ve become huge fans.”
The Meissner brothers will be watching tonight as Kimmie, 17, skates in the free skate at the World Championships in Tokyo (7:30 p.m., ESPN). She was in fourth place, with a personal-best score of 64.47, after her short program Friday.
“We used to make fun of my dad in the beginning,” said Adam, 25, a Towson-based mortgage banker. “And then over time, we all know the triple salchows and all that stuff.”
And now, their friends know, too.
Nathan, 28, is a paramedic for the Baltimore Fire Department, stationed in the Park Heights district. His fellow firefighters have gotten into the sport.
“They?re always asking me for Kimmie to come over and take pictures and everything,” Nathan said.
The transition from typical post-college guys to figure-skating fans has been an interesting one. Luke, 21, was at a local bar with friends watching football in January. But the U.S. Figure Skating Championships were on, too.
“I made the bartender put the figure skating on,” Luke said with a laugh. “It went well because I had about 15 people with me, but otherwise it probably wouldn?t have gone over too well.”
But don?t think they turn off football for figure skating all the time ? just when Kimmie is on. They?re still guys, after all.
All three brothers went to Calvert Hall. Adam is a big Ravens and Buffalo Sabres fan who still plays roller hockey in local adult leagues. Nathan played baseball, football and tennis growing up, and despite a very busy schedule is trying to find time to play softball. Luke played roller hockey and noted that not everyone in the family played ice hockey, like many media outlets have reported. Adam was the only one to play ice hockey.
Adam remembered a time 14 years ago when Kimmie took to the frozen backyard of the Meissner?s home, determined to skate in his old hockey skates. She didn?t fall once. She?s still the same determined girl.
“She?s the most normal teenager you?ll ever see,” Luke said. “It?s crazy to turn on the TV and here comes Kimmie on a Subway commercial.”
Aside from being three of her biggest fans, Meissner?s older brothers still get to carry out the typical brotherly role every once in awhile. Like the time Kimmie brought a friend to dinner at a Bel Air restaurant. Paul, his wife Judy, all three brothers and their girlfriends were there to meet the guy.
“It had to be the worst for him,” Nathan said.
Who knows if Kimmie?s friend passed the test? But, according to Adam, one thing is for sure: “She still will always be the little sister.”
