Shaun White: How he's helping his physio through cancer - "I love her so much" 

The tears welled up in Shaun White's eyes as he held his long-time physio Dr. Esther Lee.

"I couldn't have done it without you, so, thank you, every step of the way, you're the best," the three-time snowboard Olympic gold medallist tells her.

They're together, speaking to Olympics.com at the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games where White was aiming for a mind-blowing fourth snowboard halfpipe gold.

Neither of them probably would have made it to Beijing without the other.

As White's physio, Lee has helped him be in physical shape at 35 to compete with the next-gen teen prodigies shredding the snowboard scene.

For his part, White has helped his close friend and physio hugely since Lee's cancer diagnosis.

"In July 2020, I got diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer," says Lee.

"And it was a shock, I mean, I grew up my whole life feeling like this very healthy athletic person.

"I was like, oh my God, I think I might have weeks to live because my grandmother had pancreatic cancer and she died two weeks later.

"Shaun was one of the first people I called...

"I'll always remember I was standing in this field and he was like, 'did you get COVID?' And I was like, well no, actually, I got cancer... and we just sat on the phone and cried for... I don't know how long."

While the dream of a fourth gold medal didn't happen for White in Beijing, Esther's journey has helped him put things in perspective.

When Olympics.com asked if he wanted to say something about Esther he didn't hold back:

"Hell yeah, Esther is the best, I love her so much, I'm so happy to have her here with me, I couldn't have done it without you, so, thank you, every step of the way, you're the best."

Shaun White and Physio Esther Lee

The story shows a side to White that most people probably don't know.

"I'm here for you, whatever you need," continues Esther about that phone call, "and you know, we're going to get through this.

"He's just always been there for me, emotionally as well, and he's a really good listener. And his soft heart... he'd cry with me...

"It's hard because sometimes I don't really want to talk about it too much, especially with him competing and stuff, but he's been great.

"It was in March when he decided, look, I'm going to go for another Olympics. I was pretty much in bed and I was like, I have no idea if I can do it, but I'll do my best and I'll try.

"So it was one step at a time and doing treatment, maybe once a week and then slowly building it up and just being on the road with him to the Olympics, it's amazing how much I've improved physically and mentally."

At 35, White has needed Esther too, she used to be full-time physio to Venus and Serena Williams, and has been with him for seven years.

As soon as he's done his thing on the pipe, she's gone to work: Nightly ice baths, massage table work, and plenty of rest.

"I think just feeling like I have a purpose again and feeling useful again, that alone kind of boosted up my physical well-being," she says.

"A few months ago, I was in a wheelchair going to the airport with him, and here I am.

"It's just been such an amazing journey and I, I owe a lot to him to like, believe in me and believe that I can be here and help him at this level.

"And it just teaches you a lot about like where you can be mentally and how that can help you physically."

Esther Lee on Shaun White: "With retirement, it's been really tough for him as well"

"It really brought us a lot closer together, we've had a lot of heart to heart talks about life and death and what really matters.

"So it's been a beautiful, very emotional journey, and just sharing with him, and him sharing with me about the heaviness of retirement too, it's been really tough for him as well.

"We've been crying a lot, but, you know, in such a positive way.

"I've just been overwhelmed with so much emotion, especially over the last few months, things have gotten hard and intense and I'm just so proud of him to push enough just to give one more."

"It took a lot of hard work and mental and emotional focus and to see him still shine and do well today it's just amazing, so proud of him."

So what is it that makes White so special?

"Physically he just has natural talent for one but he's also a very hard worker and he does whatever it takes to get the job done, and the other thing that differentiates people, it's the mental side that he has so I think that sets him apart.

"To be able to dig deep under pressure when it comes down to performing your very best at that very moment. I mean, he's incredible.

"When I first met him, he would tell me that sometimes he'd learn a trick the day of the competition, and I was like, no way!

"He blew us away in Korea. He had this plan to do this whole run and we didn't see it until the day of the finals, and it just blew us all away.

"His ability to handle the pressure is pretty incredible."

Shaun White retired? Nah... Watch out back country!

Shaun White may have made his Olympic bow and said a final farewell - the kid who used to sleep in a van with his family in the car park just so they could ride the next day went on to conquer the world.

"I was happy with one Olympic medal," mom said when he FaceTimed them in Beijing and the whole family was at a burger joint in the States.

"Now you're retired you can eat burgers," mom said.

But is it really all over for Shaun White? Like really really?

When you ask Esther if she'll see Shaun much now that he's retired, she reveals that he's already thinking of competing again.

"He's been asking me 'am I going to need treatment for the rest of my life?'" She laughs.

"I know he's already talking about joining some other competition, like, today... and I said wait a second, you never told me this.

"He just loves being active, so I think I can definitely stay a part of his life, definitely as a friend at least, so..."

"He's been talking a little bit about back country but... we'll see."