Olympic champion sobs as he reveals what he left behind during his panicked escape from the LA wildfires
Gary Hall Jr. loses all 10 Olympic medals
Team USA swimming hero Gary Hall Jr. has shared the heartbreaking story of losing all 10 of his Olympic medals.
The devastating loss occurred when his Pacific Palisades home was engulfed by the recent LA wildfires, which have claimed 16 lives so far.
Hall, who competed in three Olympic Games (1996, 2000, and 2004), won five gold, three silver, and two bronze medals during his illustrious career.
Despite his athletic achievements, Hall now faces the emotional and material toll of the wildfires that have ravaged Southern California.
A desperate escape from the fire
In an emotional interview with CNN, Hall detailed the terrifying moments leading up to his evacuation. “I thought I had more time,” he shared.
As he watched the fire rapidly descend the hill toward his home, he acted quickly. “I opened the back of my SUV and managed to load a painting and one other item.” However, when he attempted to re-enter the house, hot embers were already falling from the sky.
Hall knew he had no time to retrieve anything else, including his cherished Olympic medals. “The medals were in a closet in my bedroom, about 70 feet away. I didn’t have time to get them.”
Describing the speed of the fire, Hall added, “From the time I saw the first plume of smoke at the top of the hill, I had about three minutes before it came charging toward me.”
Leaving his medals behind was an incredibly difficult decision. “It wasn’t easy to leave that behind,” Hall admitted. “I worked a lifetime to achieve those. The memories remain, but the souvenir is gone.”
Chaos during the evacuation
Hall also painted a vivid picture of the chaos that unfolded during the evacuation process. He was one of the first residents to reach the village after fleeing his home.
“There was one other car in the parking lot, but panic was setting in,” he recalled. “The village, normally peaceful, descended into mayhem and chaos.”
Parents scrambled to rescue their children from nearby schools, leading to frantic and dangerous behavior. “Cars were blowing through stop signs and red lights. Some drove on sidewalks. Crashes were happening as people ran in every direction.”
Support for Hall through GoFundMe
In response to Hall’s devastating loss, a GoFundMe campaign was launched to help him rebuild his life. The fundraiser initially aimed to raise $25,000 but had already reached $73,050 by Sunday morning.
The Palisades Fire, which destroyed Hall’s home, has grown to over 23,000 acres with only 11% containment as of Sunday. Other fires in the region, such as the Eaton and Kenneth fires, continue to devastate communities, spanning thousands of acres.
In short, Gary Hall Jr.’s story serves as a powerful reminder of the unpredictable and devastating nature of wildfires. While he lost tangible reminders of his achievements, Hall’s resilience and the support of his community highlight the importance of standing together in the face of adversity.
The wildfires continue to threaten lives and property, with firefighters battling tirelessly to protect affected areas.