The Official Site of Rulon Gardner - Wrestler & Olympic Gold Medalist Rulon Gardner The Man Who Never Quits Rulon has experienced wins as well as losses in his life. Months after winning his gold medal, Rulon's toe was amputated . He lets the manager of one local insurance outlet put him in a headlock for their photo. In 2002, Gardner went snowmobiling with some friends in the mountains surrounding Star Valley, Wyoming. He said, Ill call you tomorrow, Rulon says. Rulon Gardner in 2003 AP A learning disability earned Gardner the nickname "Dumbo." The 125-pound fourth-grader was also called "Fatso." As a senior at Star Valley High School, he won a state. If it was an 8-0 tech in the first period then sure but maybe he . My wife [who has experience as a fitness and weight-loss instructor], she . Rulon gave him the medal as collateral, and they made a deal that hed hold onto Rulons prized possession until he could pay the debt. Not the Olympic Greco-Roman super heavyweight final in 2000 when, with a 10 decision, he handed the Russian Bear his first loss in 13 years, and scored the first point against him in six. You gotta get up!. [8], When Gardner was in elementary school, he was injured during a class show-and-tell, when his abdomen was punctured with an arrow.[9]. He and his first wife Sheri lost their daughter, Stacey in a terrible car accident on December 26, 1990. He points to some of the younger members of the team and tells them theyre the future. He walks around the perimeter of the room, shoes off, thick white socks resting below his tree-trunk calves, and watches his kids spar. Gus, his 14-year-old Shih Tzu, sits on his left shoulder, staring out through the cracked windshield at the cars ahead. Irving said that at first, the film feels like the climax of Gardner's life is only 37 minutes in (when he wins the gold), but it's really . Unable to move any farther, Gardner decided to build a shelter and wait for a rescue team. While Gardner has been working out of the office for a few months, he officially moved his stuff in last night. The client takes a seat facing Rulons desk, and Lydia sits in Rulons chair while he stands behind her. Gardner became famous as a Wyoming farm boy, but his Mormon family has ties back to Utah for generations. In the second period, Karelin quickly put his prey in a lock that opponents rarely escaped from. Gardner is known for his defeat of three-time reigning gold medalist Aleksandr Karelin at the 2000 Summer Olympics. Twenty years after winning gold at the Olympics, Rulon Gardner's life has included a near-death snowmobile accident, a reality TV stint, and more. Former athlete goes broke is a common trope, oftentimes the result of overspending or falling down the wrong path. JRI insurance has a branch in Payson, 60 miles south of Salt Lake City, about a 50-minute drive south of Herriman High. They were wrestling around when an inadvertent headbutt knocked it out. Its an interesting twist, being both the new guy and the celebrity. Rulon wrestled his brother Reynold to break up the monotony. Contact us at editor@wyohistory.org for information on levels and types of available sponsorships. Rulon was partially on the hook. Due to the physical damage, a saw had to be used to remove his boots. Far from hindering his life, his size became his superpower. Barry spent his spare time as a young boy in Overton where he loved to walk the beautiful hills and valleys. Because Rulon Gardner isnt a quitter. He also declined the opportunity to wrestle in the professional WWE ranks. In doing so, he immediately captured the admiration of Americans, winning the gold medal in one of the biggest upsets in Olympic history. The former Olympic champion said he lost 150 pounds, with his ultimate goal being making it back to the Olympics.. He is a member of famous Wrestler with the age 51 years old group. Rulon still looks to his old buddy Dremiel Byers for inspiration. It was one of the coolest experiences of my life, he says. He thinks about his journey the past 20 years. Thankfully, Rulon's mom and dad were always telling him that with prayer and persistence he could find the strength to do anything. His boss at the insurance company has even told him he can carve out time during the day to work out if thats what he needs. Some kids want it more than others, but few want it as bad as he used to, 20 or 30 years ago. The result of having no feeling in his feet is that sometimes hell miss a step. For more information: RyanThorburn.com. Its an empty feeling every wrestler knows, including Rulon, who puts a hand on his wrestlers shoulder, looks him in the eye and delivers a reassuring message. He tells everyone to put their hands in. He talks to the state qualifiers about visualizing their day. Tournament organizers hold medal ceremonies, one weight class at a time, with wrestlers posing atop the podium with their new hardware. Rulon Gardner stops invincible Karelin., Wyoming High School Activities Association archives. "The gold medal was so far away from what I thought I could do in my life. But I can't do it 50%. The 49-year-old wrestler was born in . Rulon is owed hundreds of thousands of dollars in restitution and he gets $50 a monthenough for about a tank and a half of gas in his Beetle. At one point, he became separated from the group. At the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece, Gardner was back on the big stage and brought back a bronze medal. Search instead in Creative? School was a struggle for Rulon due to a learning disability. There was plenty of time to do some soul-searching during a long bus ride home. Hey Mount Olive wrestlers, this is Rulon Gardner. Nationality . But he also knows he cant risk pushing them away. His two lightweights are both eliminated on Day 1 but the two heavier weights, Talmage Carman and Traycee Norman, win two matches apiece. The frostbitten night on the mountain cost him a toe, after which he recovered to win a bronze medal in Athens in 2004a feat thats as much a part of his legacy as the gold in Sydney. Warr, a senior with braces on his teeth, clutches his practice partners foot two feet off the ground and stares back with rapt attention as Rulon discusses technique. When the new section opens to spectators, theres a mad scramble to race down the stairs and claim the best seats. He talks to every single person that wants to talk to him, and hell sign an autograph for anybody, his assistant coach, Martinez, says. He closes his eyes and puts a hand over his heart. So, how much is Rulon Gardner worth at the age of 51 years old? He remained stranded for 18 hours. These injuries included an amputated toe and a dislocated wrist, but he still went on to win the U.S. Olympic trials for his weight class and then to compete in the 2004 Summer Olympics. This time Gardner stayed upright, and the two massive men danced chest-to-chest through a scoreless three-minute first period. In 2007, Rulon and two friends crashed a lightweight aircraft into Lake Powell, Utah. The film immediately follows broadcast coverage of the U.S. Olympic Wrestling Trials ( full TV/stream schedule here ). May 31, 2020. That season featured partners competing in tandem. April 28, 2011, 9:25 AM PDT. The 51-year-old wrestler was born in . Since then, Rulon has faced multiple life-threatening situations and survived every one through sheer grit and an absolute refusal to quit. Despite spending four months in a high-school wrestling environment where weight is an obsession and scales are plentiful, he says he avoided stepping on one the whole season. Instead, he takes each challenge and uses it as a means to improve his life. "And I told him that the other day. is 6 2 and Weight 265lbs. He tells them to be smart and in control, and that they should wear their opponents down and tire them out since theyre both better conditioned. He had to leave and go to a nearby mall to accommodate all the people who wanted to talk to him and get autographs. After the 2000 Olympics he suffered a series of injuries from both a snowmobiling and motorcycle accident. After the failed comeback attempt in 2012, he even came back to the peacock, working again for NBCs coverage of those London Games from their New York City office. The four state qualifiers pair off. He is famous for being a Wrestler. I wanted to be a better teacher than a wrestler.". Updated: 6:17 ET, Jul 19 2021 FORMER OLYMPIC star Rulon Gardner opened up over hitting rock-bottom that included spiralling debts of 3million. He finally stepped on a scale, which more or less confirmed what he thoughthe was in the neighborhood of his starting weight on The Biggest Loser, but still wont give up a specific number. On December 31, 2004, Gardner fought Hidehiko Yoshida in a judo vs wrestling mixed martial arts (MMA) bout for the Pride Fighting Championships at an event named PRIDE Shockwave 2004. Rulon is new to the neighborhood, though really his home is more farm community than neighborhood, with horses running through penned-in yards along his drive to the office. He hopes now that the high school season is over, he can refocus on himself. He says Bob wanted to stay in touch and keep helping him live healthier. Rulon schmoozes, telling stories and jokes before Lydia steers things back toward business. [Harper declined an interview request through a spokesperson.]. The intervening years for Gardner have been more down than up, unlike his weight: an Olympic bronze medal in 2004; retirement; divorce and marriage to his third wife; trouble financing a gym;. After a first interview in Salt Lake City and a second-round tryout in California, they were all set. To put it in perspective, Rulon Gardner was a first-timer at the Olympics that year. Photo Credit: NBCNews.com Many details concerning Jeffs' wives are not known as a majority of them still keep to themselves and are not vocal about their FLDS lives. One, two, three, state titles!. Wrestlers have such a diverse skill-set, that they are often approached to compete in other sports. He jokes that it took him too long to figure one con that was pulled on him repeatedly: Organizations would make up some award to give him, largely as an excuse to get him to show up for free for an event to which they could sell tickets. After the finals, the arena lights come on and the whole Herriman cheering section swarms the group on the floor. Rulon plays the Dont you know who I am? cardbut, seriously, dont you know who he is? Hes the keynote speaker. Not even after his failed 2012 Olympic attempt. He was raised on a dairy farm in Wyoming, where the family grew crops and milked cows twice a day. Keep pushing. Though he concedes he needs to follow his own advice. In November 2018, he and wife Kathleen Kennedy received the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award, an . He was unable to repeat his 2000 performance, coming away with the Bronze medal, and after his match, he placed his shoes in the middle of the mat as a symbol of retirement from competitive wrestling. And that was the real reason that I was coming to The Biggest Loser. He thinks about headlines in the Star Valley Independent, back in his hometown in Wyoming that was so happy to claim him when things were going well. I got my health back, I got my fitness and I got my life back. At this time, Im asking to leave The Biggest Loser for a personal reason. And that was it. Still, he says when he got hold of a network executive on the phone, he was informed hed have to go through the full tryout process. The success I had in wrestling, which I learned on the farm, now I use it in the insurance business and in the wrestling community. One of his lightweights catches an elbow in the wrong spot and blood pours from his nose, seeping into his warm-up shirt and splattering on the crowded mat. He has written three books Cowboy Up: Kenny Sailors, The Jump Shot and Wyoming's Championship Basketball History; Black 14: The Rise, Fall and Rebirth of Wyoming Football and Lost Cowboys: The Story of Bud Daniel and Wyoming Baseball. Hes grown wary of some people, hardened a little by 20 years of people asking him for things. He was the first contestant to ever quit the NBC reality TV . The wrestler has almost lost his life several times. One of the key moments on the journey was during his junior year when the Braves came back from a wrestling tournament with everyone on the team having gone unbeaten for the weekendexcept for Gardner. Karelin had been undefeated for 13 years, and had not given up a point in six years, prior to his loss in the gold medal match to Gardner. Until then, you can get a taster of Gardners amazing story below. The sun began to lower and the temperature, which had been twenty-five degrees, began to drop. Rulon Gardner Wont Die Featuring Olympic Champion Wrestler, and Olympic Channel Original premieres June, 3 2020. The state tournament is an all-day affair on both Wednesday and Thursday, and JRI has no issue with him logging those hours at the arena. His next close shave came in 2007, when he survived a crash in a light aircraft. American Olympian who competed in the 2000 Olympic games in Greco-Roman wrestling, winning a gold medal in the 130 kg weight class. Options: Reply Quote Posted by: PtLoma ( ) Date: April 29, 2011 05:50PM [15] While at Nebraska, Gardner finished fourth in the 275lb. Even though it was one of the things that almost killed me, it was truly amazing. Gardner is strong enough to handle the steering wheel with two thick fingers and a thumb. He and his first wife Sheri lost their daughter, Stacey in a terrible car accident on December 26, 1990. Both will advance to Day 2, starting with the semifinals in the morning, two wins away from the top spot on the podium. In track and field, as a senior, he took second at the state finals in the shot put.[14]. But he has never wavered in his commitment to motivatingwhether its young wrestlers, those in the business world or, not least of all, himself. Rulon Gardner is living a quiet life, just the way he likes it. [17], In 2001, Gardner added a world championship to his list of accomplishments with a victory in the finals over Mihaly Deak-Bardos of Hungary. He travelled over 9,000km to Japan to take on judo Olympic gold medallist Hidehiko Yoshida. That same drive that helped me succeed [in wrestling], is the same drive that helped me survive in the wilderness, he said. Im not gonna just sit down and take whatever happens.. He bought a house nearby, so his only long commute is up I-15 to the high school. The night before the tournament, he stopped at a buffet restaurant for dinner. Rulon started paying her $24,000 a month. Four years later, Gardner was the last big man standing in Sydney. Link to: Home Valuation / Home ValuationHome Valuation Rulon Gardner. It sounds like a script the Rocky IV writers came up with: An invincible Goliath from Siberia nicknamed "The Experiment" arrives at the Olympic Village packing a 13-year winning streak. She presented a business plan that looked solid. He has been impaled on an arrow, broken his neck,. The museum is located at 138 S. Washington in Afton. In life you make mistakes, you learn from them and move forward. As a result, all of Gardners Olympic memorabilia and some of his vehicles were auctioned off. Some of the unwelcome nicknames given to him included Dumbo, and later Fatso due to his size. He has appeared at many corporate events, celebrity golf tournaments, trade shows, and conventions. He outlasted 15 contestants and shed 173 pounds, looking notably trimmer and more fit at 301 in his last official weight check. Gardner is rolling two full suitcases behind him through the corridor outside a series of ballrooms at a DoubleTree hotel in New Jersey. You may have heard of me He obliges every request until hes the last one in the room, packs up his suitcase with his unsold merchandise and heads out the door. Rulon Gardners income source is mostly from being a successful Wrestler. Gardner is keeping busy in his late 40s. Another client comes out of a meeting with one of Rulons coworkers, and on the way out the door he spots the heavyweight. Rulon Ellis Gardner (born August 16, 1971) is an American retired Greco-Roman Olympic Gold Medalist wrestler. [7] Gardner shocked the trainers, staff, and contestants on the April 26 episode by announcing he would be leaving the show "for personal reasons", and left the show without a final weigh-in. Ironically, Gardner's bid for a third Olympic appearance fell short because he was five pounds from making weight during the U.S. trials in April 2012. The American became an overnight sensation back home after the miracle on the mat, but soon found himself struggling with stardom, and battling to save his career after a life-threatening accident. Finally, its time. "Rulon," a two-hour documentary film on Rulon Gardner 's stunning 2000 Olympic wrestling gold medal and adversity-filled two decades since, makes its television premiere on NBCSN on Friday at 11 p.m. Because I learned so much about myself. (Billy. Even if a mat is just an inch or two thick, a full day of stepping on and off of them can lead to a few missteps. He says Harper told him, I waited my whole career for you. The wave has brought him to Utah and deposited him in a mountainside home . Youre the coolest, Moses tells him, as they both delight in the excuse to catch up and reminisce about their time on the show. He was raised on a dairy farm in Wyoming, where the family grew crops and milked cows twice a day. At 51 years old, Rulon Gardner height Hes picked up yet another job, as an ambassador and spokesman for an app that helps promote workplace safety for construction sites and other heavy industry jobs. weight class at the 1993 NCAA Championships, earning All-American honors. These proved to be particularly important as Rulon embraced numerous challenges in his life. Rulon says he and Harper spoke in one of the shows vans for an hour and a half after he announced his exit. These injuries included an amputated toe and a dislocated wrist, but he still went on to win the U.S. Olympic trials for his weight class and then to compete in the 2004 Summer Olympics. Discover today's celebrity birthdays and explore famous people who share your birthday. But the idea of himof Rulon Gardnerbeing a quitter, that one hes ready to put to bed. After losing 173lbs, he decided to leave the programme early for personal reasons. Now, his dark gray, short-sleeve button-down shirt dangles over his belly and hangs out in front of him, unlike the singlets that cling to his body in both the poster and on the book cover. Rulon Ellis Gardner (born August 16, 1971) is an American retired Greco-Roman Olympic Gold Medalist wrestler. After 16 weeks on the show, Gardner had lost 173 pounds! He says he liked when his coaches would stand, and he thinks it helps him be more animated. This is another touchy subject for Rulon, though one he discusses openly. One client leaves and its on to the next one. For more information, visit the website linked above. Rulon Gardner Won't Die: Directed by Adam Irving. When he was an active athlete, he never took a day off. My voice is a little scraggly because I care, he tells them, to some polite chuckles. The arena at Utah Valley University is set up with eight wrestling mats in two rows of four. He was born on October 16, 1943 in Overton Nevada to Rulon Whipple Gardner and Lavinia Wells. Due to the physical damage, a saw had to be used to remove his boots. Theres a curly-headed heavyweight from Fremont High, Weston Warr, whom Rulon has taken a liking to after theyve spoken at a few tournaments throughout the last two seasons. Some of the advice is technical, some is motivational. The memories and Sharpie ink fade with time. They told him that wasnt allowed; he told them he couldnt get out of bed without it. Its one in a long line of injuries he has battled throughout his life. Due to the physical damage, a saw had to be used to remove his boots. I need to stop saying it and start doing it. Rulons ascendance was a once-in-a-generation confluence of natural strength, work ethic and a burning desire to get off the farm. 2 Recreation Board, Indigenous People in Wyoming and the West, http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/writers/brian_cazeneuve/04/26/Rulon-Gardner-Olympic-bid/index.html, http://www.forbes.com/sites/johnclarke/2012/09/19/after-amputation-motorcycle-accident-and-plane-crash-olympic-gold-medal-wrestler-rulon-gardner-now-faces-bankruptcy/, http://www.usawct.org/news/2002_2003/RulonGardner.htm, http://www.deseretnews.com/article/765613285/Bankruptcy-trustee-postpones-Rulon-Gardner-auction-reconsidering-what-possessions-he-will-keep.html?pg=all, http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,997892,00.html, http://elkodaily.com/sports/a-golden-opportunity-olympic-gold-medalist-rulon-gardner-visits-elko/article_d08e7a52-3dc1-11e2-9ffd-0019bb2963f4.html, http://www.gazette.com/articles/gardner-142117-byers-sometimes.html, http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/espn25/story?page=moments/89, http://www.whsaa.org/archives/wrestling/1989/1989.asp, Green River Historic Preservation Commission, Natrona County Board of Cooperative Educational Services, Natrona County Recreation Joint Powers Board, Sublette County Historical Preservation Board, University of Wyoming School of Energy Resources, Cazeneuve, Brian. He left this wife to pursue his career after he left her messed up from the accident. Cows roam beyond a fence in his backyard, visible from a driveway that runs alongside his house to a fleet of cars in the backa Ford Excursion, Ford F-250, Dodge Durango and the beloved VW Beetle. Its the second week of February and Coach Gardnerhis kids just call him Rulonhas four high-schoolers in the Utah 6A State Championships. He played the part. And he was searching for that mindset again. It was a David vs. Goliath showdown that shocked the world. Gardner is a thrill-seeker, and later on that year was involved in a motorcycle accident. Karelin hadn't lost a match in 13 years and was . @5PtMove. On a bitter cold night in February 2002, on mountain slopes above Star Valley, Gardner got separated from some snowmobiling friends and stranded his machine in deep snow. ET. He was raised on a dairy farm in Wyoming, where the family grew crops and milked cows twice a day. Rulon Gardner is back at 52 years old and is looking to compete in Paris 2024 Olympics. In the second period, Traycee connects on a headlock and sends his opponent to his back. Rulon Gardner is crammed into the drivers seat of a 2006 Volkswagen Beetle. In just one year, he went through rehabilitation and was back on the mat. He briefly loses his lead, then pulls back ahead and coasts through the final period to a state championship. He made another comeback attempt before the 2016 Rio Olympics at age 44. He was unable to repeat his 2000 performance, coming away with the Bronze medal, and after his match, he placed his shoes in the middle of the mat as a symbol of retirement from competitive wrestling. In January 2011, he was announced as a contestant on season 11 of the American reality television show, The Biggest Loser. Rulon's wrestling career began when he was six years old. Rulon and Rad follow Talmage out to the mat. There were parents with their kids, spouses and siblings. The Star Valley Pioneer and History Museumin Afton, Wyo. First published on February . Thats why people dont know the full story. Warr checked with his own coaches to make sure he wasnt doing anything against any rules and they said, No, you should let Rulon keep giving you advice. After several hours in his makeshift shelter, he stopped shivering, which led him to believe that he was dying. He wants to push the kids as hard as he can, the way old coaches pushed him, trying to be a force in their lives that leads them to greatness. In 2002, Gardner went snowmobiling with some friends in the mountains surrounding Star Valley, Wyoming. To improve his life has almost lost his life born on October 16, 1971 is... Told them he couldnt get out of the younger members of the office for a few months he. Contestants and shed 173 pounds hand over his heart 1971 ) is an American retired Greco-Roman Olympic gold Medalist.! Debts of 3million Paris 2024 Olympics Ill call you tomorrow, rulon and two friends a... Karelin at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece, Gardner decided to leave go... That opponents rarely escaped from, where the family grew crops and milked cows twice a.... Been impaled on an arrow, broken his neck, Olympics that year American television... The cars ahead Olive wrestlers, this is another touchy subject for rulon due the! Jokes before Lydia steers things back toward business Rulons desk, and later that. People asking him for things a little by 20 years of people asking him for.. Outlet put him in a motorcycle accident being making it back to the damage..., some is motivational were parents with their kids, spouses and siblings the NCAA... Of overspending or falling down the stairs and claim the best seats for.... 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