TIME 100’s Adam Rippon Praises ‘All the Moms’ Who Have Helped Their Kids ‘Realize Their True Potential’

Wow. Who knew all it took to make it onto TIME 100 was making it to the Olympics and calling yourself trashy a few times?

Tonight has been an absolutely incredible experience for me. I cannot even believe that I’ve been here, and maybe my success seems like it’s come overnight, but it’s come from a lot of ups and downs, and a lot of struggles that I pushed myself through, and the person that inspires me is here with me tonight. It’s my mom.

So why I think my mom is so incredible is because she has told me, along with her other children, that they are champions, that they are a genius, that they are braver than they think, and that they are stronger than they know.

And so I’d like to raise a glass tonight to my mom and to all the moms out there who have helped their kids realize their true potential. I’m really able to be who I am very effortlessly. I met Nicole Kidman earlier tonight and she even let me smell her husband. If it wasn’t for the words that my mom told me, “Never give up on your dreams,” I would never have had that experience.

So, mom, thank you so much. And on a serious note, I love you from the bottom of my heart.