AREA. IF PASSED, THE LAW WOULD TAKE EFFECT ON JULY 1ST. THE U.S. OLYMPIC TEAM WALKED THIS EVENING DURING THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE WINTER OLYMPICS, AND THEY WERE LED BY NONE OTHER THAN A LOCAL OLYMPIC HERO. AND MANY OF US GOT SOME GOOSEBUMPS WHEN TEAM USA WALKED IN AND WE GOT TO SEE OCALA NATIVE AARON JACKSON WALK IN, LEADING THE TEAM BY CARRYING THE AMERICAN FLAG. WESH MICHELLE MEREDITH JOINED THE JACKSON FAMILY FOR THEIR WATCH PARTY IN MARION COUNTY. YOU ARE JUST BEAMING WITH PRIDE. I’M ABOUT I’M ABOUT TO. I’M ABOUT TO EXPLODE. AARON JACKSON’S FAMILY AND FRIENDS WAITED ANXIOUSLY FOR THE OPENING CEREMONIES FROM HER UNCLE’S HOUSE IN OCALA. THERE WERE BALLOONS. AARON JACKSON T-SHIRTS, BOBBLEHEADS. THE 33 YEAR OLD IS NOT ONLY IN THE OLYMPICS. HER TEAMMATES GAVE HER THE HONOR OF BEING A FLAG BEARER. THAT IS GOING TO BE A BEAUTIFUL THING WHEN SHE WALK OUT WITH THAT FLAG. SHE WALK OUT WITH THAT FLAG. THAT’S GOLD. AND TO BE PICKED BY YOUR PEERS. THAT’S. I’M A CRIER. AARON GREW UP IN MARION COUNTY, WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL IN OCALA. AARON’S FAMILY WATCHED HER GROW UP IN AWE OF HER DETERMINATION. SHE TOOK UP SKATING. INLINE SKATING WAS LIGHTNING FAST. THE AWARDS STARTED ROLLING IN. SHE LOVED THE SPEED AND IT’S THE JUST THE THE RUSH SHE GETS FROM GOING AROUND THAT TRACK. SHE LOVES IT. THEN IN 2016, AARON MOVED HER SKILLS AND SPEED TO THE ICE. NEVER LOOKED BACK. COMPETED IN THE 2022 OLYMPICS IN BEIJING. WON GOLD. THE FIRST BLACK WOMAN TO WIN A GOLD MEDAL IN AN INDIVIDUAL SPORT IN THE WINTER OLYMPICS, AND IT WAS SO LOUD. BUT THE REST OF MY SISTERS AND THOSE PEOPLE HERE, THEY WAS AT A HOTEL BECAUSE WE HAD WENT TO GASPARILLA THE NIGHT BEFORE THAT WAS GOING TO CALL THE POLICE BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT SOMETHING HAD HAPPENED. THEY THOUGHT SOMETHING HAD HAPPENED BECAUSE THEY WERE SO LOUD. SO FAST FORWARD TO NOW, AARON COMPETING IN THE 2026 OLYMPICS IN MILAN. AND WHEN IT WAS AARON’S TIME TO SHINE, HER FAMILY DID EXPLODE. AND YOUR HOPES? THE GOAL? SHE’S GOING TO BE ON THAT PODIUM. I’M SPEAKING. I’M SPEAKING IT. SPEAKING FOR THE AMAZING LITTLE GIRL FROM OCALA, FLORIDA, WHO INTRODUCED THE UNITED STATES TO THE WORLD COVERING MARION COUNTY FROM OCALA, MICHELLE MEREDITH WESH TWO NEWS. AND WE’RE LUCKY BECAUSE WE GOT TO TALK TO HER, TALK TO HER COACH, GET PEOPLE TO KNOW HER. SHE’S JUST AMAZING. I KNOW, AND WE’RE ALL ROOTING FOR HER AND WE ARE SPEAKING IT INTO EXISTENCE. SHE’S COMING HOME WITH GOLD. SHE CAN DO IT. CAN’T WAIT. ALL RIGHT. AARON COMPETES FOR THE FIRST TIME ON FEBRUARY 9TH AND THEN AGAIN ON FEBRUARY 15TH. AND YOU HEARD IT FROM HER AUNT. SHE IS BRINGING HOME THE GOLD. AND DON’T FORGET, LAST YEAR, BRITTANY BOWE WAS THE FLAG BEARER. ALSO BACK TO BACK. A LOT OF TALENT HERE IN OCALA. ALL RIGHT. YO
‘Proudest moment’: Family pride in Central Florida as Erin Jackson takes the Olympic stage
Updated: 7:25 PM EST Feb 6, 2026
Erin Jackson, an Ocala native now living in Utah, will be one of the flag bearers at the Winter Olympics opening ceremony.Her family in Central Florida is hosting a watch party to celebrate.About a dozen family members will gather to watch Jackson make her entrance, marking a special moment for them. Jackson’s uncle, Mike Walker, expressed his emotions about the day’s significance. He and his wife, Jackie, plan to fly to Milan to support Jackson as she defends her gold medal in speed skating. Walker emphasized Jackson’s humility despite her achievements.”You just don’t know how proud we are to have that moment like that,” Walker said. “This is one of the most proudest moments there is, carrying that flag, it’s going to be the most amazing thing there is, I can’t, I can’t wait.”Walker shared an excited moment with the mother of fellow Olympian Brittany Bowe, who also resides in Ocala, when the news of Jackson being a flag bearer became public.The opening ceremony will air live on WESH 2 at 2 p.m., where Jackson’s family will be watching her big entry.
OCALA, Fla. —
Erin Jackson, an Ocala native now living in Utah, will be one of the flag bearers at the Winter Olympics opening ceremony.
Her family in Central Florida is hosting a watch party to celebrate.
About a dozen family members will gather to watch Jackson make her entrance, marking a special moment for them.
Jackson’s uncle, Mike Walker, expressed his emotions about the day’s significance. He and his wife, Jackie, plan to fly to Milan to support Jackson as she defends her gold medal in speed skating.
Walker emphasized Jackson’s humility despite her achievements.
“You just don’t know how proud we are to have that moment like that,” Walker said. “This is one of the most proudest moments there is, carrying that flag, it’s going to be the most amazing thing there is, I can’t, I can’t wait.”
Walker shared an excited moment with the mother of fellow Olympian Brittany Bowe, who also resides in Ocala, when the news of Jackson being a flag bearer became public.
The opening ceremony will air live on WESH 2 at 2 p.m., where Jackson’s family will be watching her big entry.