Afton native Jessie Diggins has left a lasting legacy in Minnesota

There’s a snapshot in time that will forever live in the mind of Afton native Jessie Diggins, and it’s not the epic finishing kick at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, that resulted in her bringing home a gold medal. Instead, it’s the warmup lap before a World Cup race at Theodore Wirth Park in Minneapolis on Feb. 17, 2024, when a wall of noise followed her around the course. That will stick with her for the rest of her life. “I cried like 12 times,” Diggins said. “It was the coolest moment of my career.” It was a similar refrain from her father Clay and mother Deb as they reflected on the incredible life their daughter has made...