Ex-US Olympic swimmer Gary Hall Jr. lost all ten of his Olympic medals, along with his house and possessions, to the catastrophic wildfires sweeping through Los Angeles. The 50-year-old sportsman informed the Sydney Morning Herald that the rapidly spreading fires ravaged his rented residence in Pacific Palisades, his ten Olympic medals, the pool where he instructed his kids on swimming, and the majority of his possessions. He successfully evacuated with just a few personal belongings and his dog.
The wildfires that are still ravaging Southern California have compelled numerous residents to evacuate, including Hall. The Arizona native and 10-time Olympic medalist lost everything he owned, including the medals that signified his remarkable career. It was worse than any apocalypse movie you’ve ever watched, and a thousand times worse,” Hall stated in an article released Thursday, two days following the outbreak of the fires.
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Hall’s Olympic achievements consist of consecutive gold medals in the men’s 50-meter freestyle at the 2000 (Sydney) and 2004 (Athens) Games.
He also secured three gold medals in relay events at the 1996 (Atlanta) Games, in addition to three silvers and two bronzes over the course of three Olympics. Unfortunately, these medals, together with two world championship medals, were among the possessions destroyed by the fire.
Reflecting on the turmoil, Hall stated that the swift spread of the fire gave him no opportunity to collect his swimming memorabilia. “I did think about the medals, but there wasn’t time. Everything burned. It’s something I can live without. In the end, it’s just stuff. It’ll take hard work to rebuild, but what can you do?” he told the Sydney Morning Herald.
In spite of the destruction, Hall stays hopeful. “It’s more than just about me.” My house and my company are lost, but it’s time to begin a new chapter. I’m lucky that I can remain composed, even amidst chaos. “We were instructed to flee to save ourselves,” he stated.
Following his loss, a GoFundMe initiative has been created to aid the Olympic champion as he starts to recover.
