Vault: Cindy Levee

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Bert Show – Vault: Cindy Levee

Date: November 11, 2025
Host: The Bert Show Cast (Pionaire Podcasting)
Main Guest: Cindy (Ryan Levee’s Mom), with cameo by Adam (soon-to-be stepson)

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Episode Overview

This episode of The Bert Show centers on the emotional aftermath of U.S. speed skater Ryan Levee’s performance in the Winter Olympics team pursuit event. The hosts talk with Ryan’s mom, Cindy Levee, who provides a heartfelt, firsthand breakdown of the event, her reactions, Ryan's resilience after a disappointing finish, and the bittersweet pride of being an Olympic family. The exchange includes warmth, humor, and a supportive call-in from Adam, Cindy's soon-to-be stepson.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Scene: Olympic Tensions and Tribulations

• Hosts and listeners were highly invested in Ryan’s Olympic performance, checking updates frequently (01:03).
  • "I was so invested in finding the results out yesterday of Ryan Levee's competition. I was online all day..." (Host, 01:03)
• Explanation of the event’s competitive format and crucial moments from the actual Olympic broadcast are played (02:23–03:49).

2. How the Team Pursuit Works

• Cindy details the structure of the team pursuit event after some confusion among the hosts (04:29–05:29):
  • Three team members skate eight laps; there are eight teams. Placement in initial races determines seating for the second race.
  • The team’s time is counted when the third skater crosses the line.
  • "There’s three in a team... whoever crosses the line, there's two teams out there at a time... the last one that crosses the line is their time." (Cindy, 04:45)

3. Dramatic Turns and Team Dynamics

• The U.S. team led most of the way but lost to Italy in the final laps, ending their medal hopes (03:15, 05:50).
• Cindy shares emotional details about the race:
  • "They just look so good, the three of them together... my son is in the Olympics, you know?" (Cindy, 06:11)
• Team strategy went awry late in the race:
  • "Chad was supposed to do the last two laps, and Ryan ended up in front... Chad just said, Ryan, keep going, keep going..." (Cindy, 06:57)
  • The team supported one another, despite Casey (the third skater) struggling.

4. Emotions from the Sidelines

• Cindy describes her stress and pride before, during, and after the event (06:00–06:47):
  • "So nerve wracking and just very, very nervous for him. And I always do, always." (Cindy, 08:24)
• The hosts and Cindy discuss disappointment, team support, and how to process the outcome as an athlete and a family (07:39–09:41).
  • "You support your teammates. That's what you do." (Cindy, 09:47)
  • Sympathy is shown for Casey Boudier, the teammate whose Olympic journey likely ended without a medal (07:52).

5. Reflecting on Ryan’s Resilience

• Cindy reflects on comforting Ryan post-race:
  • "Told him how proud I was... he went out there, he worked hard, he did his job, he needs to be proud..." (Cindy, 09:21)
• Ryan plans to race again for fifth place, keeping perspective (10:01–10:28).
  • "Even if you come in fifth place... there are only four other teams in the world... that's pretty good." (Host, 10:12)
  • "That's very good. And that's what we told him." (Cindy, 10:28)

6. Comic Relief: Curling Jokes and Family Stories

• Hosts joke about Ryan’s “housekeeping” experience preparing him to become a curling champion (10:38–11:14).
  • "You started him on his destiny as a curling champion." (Co-host, 11:08)
• Cindy maintains good humor throughout, saying she'd still be proud if Ryan medaled in curling.

7. Family Support: Adam Calls In

• Adam, Cindy’s soon-to-be stepson, calls on-air to offer support and share light-hearted encouragement (12:22–13:12):
  • "Ryan did awesome. Ryan did awesome." (Adam, 12:33)
  • "Next Olympics, just give him his own event..." (Adam, 12:38)
• Cindy and Adam share family banter, highlighting the network of support Ryan enjoys.

8. Community Pride

• The hosts note how Ryan’s journey has energized his hometown:
  • "We've been getting emails, Cumming, Georgia, they're going out of their minds right now..." (Host, 13:23)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Olympic Nerves:
  "I was off the scale. So nerve wracking and just very, very nervous for him."
  — Cindy, 08:24

• On Resilience:
  "There’s nothing you can do. And you feel proud about what you did, and he feels very proud about what he did."
  — Cindy, 09:47

• Family Support:
  "Told him how proud I was of him and he looked awesome and he needed to be proud for what he did..."
  — Cindy, 09:21

• Comic Relief:
  "You started him on his destiny as a curling champion."
  — Co-host, 11:08

• Community Energy:
  "We've talked about Cumming more over the last two weeks than we ever have before."
  — Host, 13:23

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 01:03 – Hosts discuss obsession with Olympic results
• 02:23 – Play-by-play of race, national TV comments
• 04:29 – Cindy explains how the team pursuit event works
• 06:11 – Cindy’s emotional perspective watching her son compete
• 06:57 – Breakdown of team strategy and what went awry
• 08:24 – Cindy shares her pre-race nerves
• 09:21 – Cindy’s words of comfort to Ryan
• 10:01 – Upcoming race for fifth place, finding the silver lining
• 10:38 – Curling jokes and Ryan’s “housekeeping” preparation
• 12:22 – Adam calls in to support Cindy and Ryan
• 13:23 – Hometown community outpouring

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Summary

This episode beautifully blends real-time sports drama, family emotion, and Bert Show humor around the Olympic story of Ryan Levee and his mother, Cindy. It captures the nerves and pride of an Olympic parent, explains the event’s intricacies in layman’s terms, and offers a lighthearted perspective on coping with results—whether you win, lose, or pick up a broom for curling. Listeners walk away with a sense of the Levee family's resilience, the importance of community, and the unique warmth that defines The Bert Show’s approach.

Transcript

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[Vert Show Host]

Listen, it's the vert show. I was so invested in finding the results out yesterday of Ryan Levier's competition. I was online all day scouring like every 10 minutes. I was looking for results to see how he was doing.

[Vert Show Listener]

Yeah, I was homesick yesterday and I was going, you know, and I'd be asleep and then I'd be up for a few hours and back asleep. And when I was up and I was scouring through all the NBC affiliate networks trying to find usa, usa.

[Podcast Advertiser]

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[Vert Show Listener]

Exactly, exactly. And I couldn't find it.

[Vert Show Host]

So Ryan is from Cumming, Georgia right outside of Atlanta here and he is competing in the Winter Olympics. And we've been talking to him and his mom since they arrived in Italy. Really. And they've kind of been our eyes and our ears in Italy, which is a real coup for us. Real coup. So his event was yesterday. We talked to his mom yesterday right around this time. And this was before the event and then yesterday afternoon. It only makes sense to meet to do this in a chronicle, a chronological order that makes that's accurate. So after we got done talking to her yesterday, sometime mid afternoon, Ryan's event took place. Let me play you guys the beginning of his event and the end of his event before we get her on because she's already on hold from Italy. Okay, this is yesterday during the Olympics, Ryan Levier competing Hopefully for a gold medal in Italy.

[Sports Commentator]

United States with the slight lead as Levier is out in front. Former short track specialist who has been on claps gate stand only six months. He got in a serious accident. That's our boy racing short track. Suffered a serious back injury on his 21st birthday. He was in a body cast for three months. Got back into the sport, but quit it. He was too fearful of it. His coach convinced him to take up long track and here he is going for an Olympic medal perhaps. Well, and they're poised right now to move on into the semifinals. If they keep this up, the Americans really scared.

[Vert Show Host]

So Ryan, our boy right there being talked about on national television. Team USA in the lead for three different levels. All right. Because I think there are four guys in the event. So they're leading three fourths of the way through the race.

[Sports Commentator]

Time's a pull ahead with two laps left, extending the lead here. The Americans really gotta get it going. Casey Boudier struggling to stay on the back there. They're falling apart. Remember, United States loses this race to Italy. No medals. They are out of it. Boudier really struggling there. He's fallen way behind Levy and Hedrick. And remember, it's the third skater that makes the time recorded Italy coming in, but Italy wins it and the United States hopes for a medal. And the men's team pursuit are over.

[Vert Show Host]

Sucks. I'm not exactly sure how the whole race works. Like, I know he was talking about the third guy and the time, blah, blah.

[Vert Show Co-host]

They're all racing around and I'm sure Ryan's mom could tell us like, how many laps, but like, somebody has to, like, was it. I think it was Ryan who's first. So like if he. He gets timed for the first so many laps, then the other guy in the team gets time for the second so many laps. And then the third guy gets time for the four, you know, the last group of laps and it's whoever we have. Cindy and hold.

[Vert Show Host]

Why am I doing this?

[Podcast Advertiser]

Yeah.

[Vert Show Host]

So there are three guys competing. Hey, Cindy.

[Vert Show Co-host]

Three. Yeah.

[Vert Show Host]

Hey. Hey. There are three guys competing in the event, not four.

[Cindy (Ryan's Mom)]

Yes, three guys.

[Vert Show Host]

Okay, there are three guys. So explain to us, for those that don't understand the event that Ryan was in yesterday, explain to us exactly how it works. We know what the results were and we're obviously all a little disappointed. But how did it all happen yesterday and how does the event work?

[Cindy (Ryan's Mom)]

Well, they actually had two races. Ryan was in the first race. Him and Clay Mull and Derrick Para was in the first race, and then depending there was. There's eight teams, and depending on their placement. And that was. Would determine their seating for the second race. And Ryan was the only one that was in both races. He was in the second one with Casey and Chad. Casey Boutier and Chad Hedrick. But what they do is they go around eight times. Around. There's eight teams. They go around eight times. There's three in a team. And whoever crosses the line, there's two teams out there at a time. And then, you know, the last one that crosses the line is their time. It's the three of them together.

[Vert Show Host]

So essentially, you're racing against each other, but not really. You're racing against time.

[Cindy (Ryan's Mom)]

Time.

[Vert Show Host]

Yes. Okay, so you were in the stands yesterday, and probably the most painful scenario starts to play out for you because the USA is leading this thing. They're leading this thing two thirds of the way through. Right?

[Cindy (Ryan's Mom)]

Right. Yes.

[Vert Show Host]

And then all of a sudden, Italy just came out of nowhere and took it away, huh?

[Cindy (Ryan's Mom)]

Yeah, they. It was pretty tough, but. But it was good. But it was tough.

[Vert Show Host]

Can you give us kind of a snapshot of how you were feeling before the event, you know, watching Ryan lined up during the event and then when the result was posted?

[Cindy (Ryan's Mom)]

Well, you know, I'm so proud of him, and he looks so good out there. You know, I mean, he's my son, but they just look so good, the three of them together. And I know, you know, he was so excited, and it's. And it is very exciting, and just the emotions are just, you know, just. The Olympics. It's the Olympics. My son is in the Olympics, you know, and so that's what we all kept saying, and my whole family was there. And so that. That makes it exciting also.

[Adam (Ryan's Soon-to-be Stepson)]

And.

[Cindy (Ryan's Mom)]

But it was very good race. Ryan worked very hard. He looked good out there. He did what his coaches asked him to do, and we could not have asked for anything more out of him.

[Vert Show Host]

I read online yesterday that one of the guys said we had a game plan going into it, and when we got into it, we kind of got off of our map.

[Cindy (Ryan's Mom)]

Yeah, they did. Ryan had just mentioned that Chad was supposed to do the last two laps, and Ryan ended up in front, and he was doing really well, and he was strong, and he wasn't having any problem. There was no struggling on Ryan's part. And so Chad just said, ryan, keep going, keep going. And he was patting them on the back, and what they do, they touch each other on the back to let each other know that they're there. And so he was doing that with Ryan and Ryan and Chad were just, they were flying and I mean, there was just no touching them. They were doing awesome. And then kc, we just kind of looked back and KC was kind of. Of struggling a little bit. So Casey, man, Casey is a team sport.

[Vert Show Listener]

Is a team sport.

[Cindy (Ryan's Mom)]

So it's, it's difficult, I bet.

[Vert Show Host]

Well, especially when, I mean, I, I kind of feel sorry for Casey today because in a case like that, even though it's a team effort, you know what the weak link was during the event. So you can't help but feel bad for that guy, you know?

[Vert Show Listener]

Yeah.

[Cindy (Ryan's Mom)]

Well, you know what? I don't know if many people know this. That was Casey's fourth Olympics and he was one of the main inliners. Started out as an ice skater, so he was a pioneer. And he's been to four Olympics and he's not medaled yet. And that was his last shot ever at a medal. So he came off and he was devastated.

[Vert Show Host]

I bet, I bet it was tough. That's too bad. How were you feeling right before the race? Like, on a scale of 1 to 10, how close were you to throwing up?

[Cindy (Ryan's Mom)]

I was off the scale. So nerve wracking and just very, very nervous for him. And I always do, always. I've always been that way. I've gotten better with time, but it's, it's very nerve wracking.

[Vert Show Host]

And after the event, how long passed before you were able to communicate with Ryan?

[Cindy (Ryan's Mom)]

It wasn't long. He kind of, the three of them and the coach came out on the floor and they kind of talked a little bit. And then Ryan, he knew where we were sitting and so he looked up at me, pointed to me, told me he'd be there in a minute, not to move. So he was up in the stands pretty quick.

[Vert Show Host]

And what was his reaction?

[Cindy (Ryan's Mom)]

He's very, Ryan's very disappointed. He, you know, he obviously wanted a medal. He's an athlete. They all want medals. So he was very disappointed. But he's, he knows he's been there before and he knows the ups and downs and he weathers it very well and he knows he's got the next Olympics and he'll be there.

[Vert Show Host]

Did you say anything to comfort him or. I guess I should say. What did you say to comfort him?

[Cindy (Ryan's Mom)]

I grabbed a hold of him, didn't want to let go and told him how proud I was of him and he looked awesome and he needed to be proud for what he did because he went out there, he worked hard, he did his job he needs to be proud and he is. He knows he's been doing this for six months. He knows that. You know, it's kind of unheard of, even what he's done. And he knows that.

[Vert Show Host]

I mean, it's such a cliche, but if you give everything you have, you give 150% and you come up a little short, there's nothing else you could.

[Cindy (Ryan's Mom)]

Have done, there's nothing you can do. And you feel proud about what you did, and he feels very proud about what he did. And it could have just as well been him in the back instead of Casey. And so he knows that. So, you know, you support your teammates. That's what you do.

[Vert Show Host]

Where does that leave him now? He is racing again today though, correct?

[Cindy (Ryan's Mom)]

He does race today. Yeah. Him and KC and Clay and basically what they're doing, they're racing for fifth place today. Fifth place in the Olympics. So that's what they're doing today.

[Vert Show Host]

I still, you know, I mean, this is obviously looking at the silver lining in the whole thing, but when you look at the entire world, even if you come in fifth place and you say there are only four other teams in the world, not just Cumming, Georgia in the world that are better than us, that's pretty good.

[Cindy (Ryan's Mom)]

That's very good. And that's what we told him. And we told him, we said, brian, you go out there and you work hard and you do what you're supposed to do and you're going to be fine. Y' all going to be fifth tomorrow. So he's good. He's all right.

[Vert Show Co-host]

He's already familiar with, you know, with the, with the ice. And you said that, you know, for a while when you guys were younger, you had part time jobs cleaning things up. So if you consider putting him on that team where they have to sweep curling.

[Cindy (Ryan's Mom)]

Yeah, yeah, the curling thing. Yeah, he'd be good at that.

[Vert Show Co-host]

Yeah. I don't think there's a lot of training involved. And obviously if he spent time as a housekeeper younger, he knows how to sweep and skin on the ice, easy.

[Vert Show Host]

He's been training for it since he was seven, right?

[Cindy (Ryan's Mom)]

Sure, that's right.

[Vert Show Co-host]

Since the day you brought him to work with you, you started him on his destiny as a curling champion.

[Cindy (Ryan's Mom)]

That's right.

[Vert Show Co-host]

If he did metal in curling, definitely. If he did meddle in curling, would you tell anyone?

[Cindy (Ryan's Mom)]

Well, yes, I would. He's still my son. I'm proud of whatever he does.

[Vert Show Host]

I still contend. Any one of us in here could start training right now. We could be the Curling. Gol. Olympic champion in four years.

[Vert Show Co-host]

Dude, I got fascinated on that website, that curling thing. Like, they take it seriously up in Canada.

[Vert Show Listener]

Yeah.

[Cindy (Ryan's Mom)]

Oh, it's definitely serious. Of course, everybody kind of makes fun of it, but I don't really understand too much how it ever got started. But, you know, that's fourth. They do it, and they take it serious.

[Vert Show Co-host]

I'll tell you how it got started. They were smoking some good weed up in Canada, and they said, you know what? Let's play shuffleboard on ice.

[Vert Show Listener]

Jeff, you're not talking about weed with Ryan's mom.

[Vert Show Co-host]

Oh, sorry.

[Cindy (Ryan's Mom)]

Exactly. I'm the mom.

[Vert Show Host]

And he passed all the doping tests. He's fine.

[Vert Show Co-host]

I'm not saying Ryan is. He's fine. I'm saying the inventor of curling.

[Vert Show Host]

Right?

[Vert Show Co-host]

And then we'll sweep. That's what we'll do. We'll sweep.

[Podcast Advertiser]

And, bro, you just came up with.

[Cindy (Ryan's Mom)]

The greatest Olympic sport ever.

[Vert Show Co-host]

Let's go out to the pond right now. And I am so hungry.

[Vert Show Listener]

We are still talking about weed with Ryan's mom.

[Grainger Advertiser]

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[Vert Show Listener]

Sorry.

[Vert Show Host]

Hey, Cindy, you are engaged, correct?

[Adam (Ryan's Soon-to-be Stepson)]

Right.

[Vert Show Host]

Your soon to be stepson Adam is on the phone with us right now. He wants to say hey.

[Adam (Ryan's Soon-to-be Stepson)]

Yes, Cindy, what's up?

[Cindy (Ryan's Mom)]

Hey, Adam. How are you?

[Adam (Ryan's Soon-to-be Stepson)]

I'm doing awesome. Ryan did awesome. Ryan did awesome.

[Cindy (Ryan's Mom)]

Thank you very much. Thank you.

[Adam (Ryan's Soon-to-be Stepson)]

Need to tell them next. Next Olympics, just give him his own event. I agree with you. Hey, also, since Bell south is picking up the tab, maybe y' all can call me some more.

[Cindy (Ryan's Mom)]

Okay.

[Adam (Ryan's Soon-to-be Stepson)]

We'll talk. All right. Y' all got my number?

[Cindy (Ryan's Mom)]

We got your number.

[Adam (Ryan's Soon-to-be Stepson)]

Hey, Adam being all right?

[Cindy (Ryan's Mom)]

We're doing good. We're having a good time. Yep.

[Adam (Ryan's Soon-to-be Stepson)]

Good. It's killing me that I'm down here and I couldn't go.

[Cindy (Ryan's Mom)]

I know that.

[Adam (Ryan's Soon-to-be Stepson)]

Send Ryan my love. Say hi to dad for me.

[Cindy (Ryan's Mom)]

I sure will.

[Vert Show Host]

Thank you.

[Adam (Ryan's Soon-to-be Stepson)]

No problem. Tong. Way to go.

[Cindy (Ryan's Mom)]

Okay. Thank you.

[Adam (Ryan's Soon-to-be Stepson)]

See ya. Same time.

[Vert Show Co-host]

What part of the world is Adam in?

[Cindy (Ryan's Mom)]

Adam's in Atlanta. Marietta.

[Vert Show Co-host]

Oh, cool.

[Podcast Advertiser]

He's right here.

[Vert Show Host]

Cindy, it's been great talking to you.

[Cindy (Ryan's Mom)]

Thanks so much for talking to us. And thanks for the.

[Vert Show Host]

Oh, you bet. We've been getting emails coming. Georgia, they're going out of their minds right now. We've talked about coming more over the last two weeks than we ever have before. You know that's right.

[Cindy (Ryan's Mom)]

I'm glad to hear that.

[Vert Show Host]

So we're hoping to get Ryan on the phone one last time over the next couple of days, so tell him that we're all still watching. We're all really proud of him.

[Cindy (Ryan's Mom)]

I will.

[Vert Show Host]

And we'll talk to him over the next couple of days from Italy.

[Cindy (Ryan's Mom)]

Okay. Thank you for calling.

[Vert Show Host]

All right, Cindy, take care. Listen, it's the Vert Show.

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