--- title: U.S. Bobsled Team Honors Steven Holcomb at 2018 Olympics description: Leading up to the two-man bobsled competition at the Olympics, Team USA remembered the legacy left behind by late teammate Steven Holcomb. canonical: https://time.com/5165163/steven-holcomb-death-bobsled-winter-olympics-2018/ author: Megan McCluskey article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2018-02-19T01:45:22.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-04-13T07:50:44.832Z og:title: U.S. Bobsled Squad Remembers Late Teammate Steven Holcomb og:description: "It has been the hardest year" og:url: https://time.com/5165163/steven-holcomb-death-bobsled-winter-olympics-2018/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt2f50979cf1faac9d/69892824db29871d9125ed17/steven-holcomb.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: US-Bobsled-Steven-Holcomb-2018-Olympics og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: U.S. Bobsled Squad Remembers Late Teammate Steven Holcomb twitter:description: "It has been the hardest year" twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt2f50979cf1faac9d/69892824db29871d9125ed17/steven-holcomb.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # 'It Has Been the Hardest Year.' U.S. Bobsled Squad Remembers Late Teammate Steven Holcomb  by [Megan McCluskey](https://time.com/author/megan-mccluskey/)  ## Megan McCluskey Staff Writer Feb 19, 2018 1:45 AM UTC  Steven Holcomb of the United States Bobsled team poses for a portrait ahead of the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics. Steven Holcomb of the United States Bobsled team poses for a portrait ahead of the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics.Scott Halleran/Getty Images  by [Megan McCluskey](https://time.com/author/megan-mccluskey/)  ## Megan McCluskey Staff Writer Feb 19, 2018 1:45 AM UTC Leading up to the first day of the [two-man bobsled](http://time.com/5162408/winter-olympics-luge-vs-skeleton-vs-bobsled-explained/) competition at the [2018 Winter Olympics](http://time.com/5143796/winter-olympic-medals-by-country-2018/), [Team USA](http://time.com/5138220/team-usa-2018-winter-olympic-medals/) remembered the legacy left behind by late teammate Steven Holcomb. Members of the U.S. bobsled squad spoke Saturday about how difficult it was to carry on and compete in PyeongChang following Holcomb’s passing during an interview with the [_Associated Press_](http://www.nbcolympics.com/news/us-boblsedders-remembering-steve-holcomb). Holcomb died on May 6, 2017, in his room at the Olympic Training Center in Lake Placid, New York. A toxicology report later revealed that he had a [blood-alcohol level of 0.188](https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/olympics/2017/06/13/report-reveals-pills-alcohol-found-steven-holcomb/102826708/) as well as prescription sleeping pills in his system. His family did not reveal his exact cause of death, saying Holcomb would have wanted to maintain his privacy. “Anyone who knew Steven knew what a private person he was despite being a public figure,” [his family said in a statement to the AP in June](https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/olympics/2017/06/13/report-reveals-pills-alcohol-found-steven-holcomb/102826708/). “Our intentions were to continue to respect his privacy, even in death.” U.S. coach Brian Shimer told the AP that Holcomb’s sudden death hit the team extremely hard. “It has been the hardest year,” he said. “The hardest year, without a doubt.” However, pilot Nick Cunningham said the loss has inspired the team to push themselves even harder. “We’re all suffering together,” he said. “And the best way to honor that legacy is to carry it on, to always be that threat on the hill, always put in that work and honor him by what we’re doing behind the scenes.” Holcomb was a three-time Olympic medalist. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5165163/steven-holcomb-death-bobsled-winter-olympics-2018/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5165163/steven-holcomb-death-bobsled-winter-olympics-2018/"},"headline":"'It Has Been the Hardest Year.' 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