Blake Skjellerup reports from his hometown of Christchurch

From a report in Outsports, which you can read in full HERE, speedskater Blake Skjellerup speaks of what he has discovered on his first trip home since the earthquake that devastated Christchurch, New Zealand:

the cordon in the CBD, it is as if the heart of the city has been ripped out. In the 36 hours I have been in the city, and the small parts of it I have seen, you can tell that the other major arteries and limbs of the city are working hard to keep the city together.

Nerves are on edge, emotions are high, and the lives of some are in tatters. Comfort for most comes in knowing that one day, maybe 6 months to a year, or even longer from now, the cordon will lift, and people will return to the heart of a city that slowly, but surely, will start beating again.

The thing we all share in common is our love of this once- and still-amazing city. The aftershocks will not last forever, but this city will. The people know they owe it to themselves and the city to stay. A home will always remain a home, and no force can change that.

Donations to the New Zealand Red Cross are still welcome.