I asked him what advice he would give to somebody at a low point right nowa surprisingly apt question less than a month before the initial surge of a pandemic that would kill more than 200,000 Americans and send many more to unemployment amid a devastated economy. Everyone just wants Rulon to be healthy. Gardner stands in front of the crowd and runs through his well-rehearsed life story. Here comes Traycee, running in to compete on the same mat. Just an Olympic champion, quietly watching the high-schoolers competing in front of him, chatting only when somebody new sidles up next to him and starts a conversation. The culprit: one of his own wrestlers. I try to use it to inspire and get kids motivated to come out for wrestling for us., When he looks back with 20 years of hindsight on the match that first made him a household name, he draws inspiration from Karelin. Youre the coolest, Moses tells him, as they both delight in the excuse to catch up and reminisce about their time on the show. After ballooning to 474 pounds, the gentle giant even appeared on televisions The Biggest Loser before making a comeback attempt for the 2012 Games in London. Accessed Jan. 5, 2013 at, The photo of Gardner on his victory lap after winning a gold medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia, is from, Casper Chapter, Wyoming Archaeological Society, June Frison chapter, Wyoming Archeological Society. After the speech he heads back to the hallway and opens one of his suitcases, which is stuffed with copies of his book and posters from the old Got Milk? ad campaign that show him holding two full pails in front of a dairy cow. A Golden Opportunity: Olympic gold medalist Rulon Gardner visits Elko., Ramsey, David. L-R . A friend introduced Rulon to their niece, who just needed a small loan to get more financing. You want me to do a clinic for free? Today, Gardner owns and operates the Rulon Gardner Elite Training Center in Logan, Utah, with his wife of two years, Kamie. The 51-year-old wrestler was born in . They dont need him there. Hopefully, they can see that. In 2010, Rulon was inducted as a Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. As yesterdays scene repeats, with wrestlers from various schools swarming the mats to get loose, Herrimans two heavier weights are nowhere to be seen. He is quiet but he holds peoples attention when hes talking to them. @5PtMove. After retiring from his event by adding a bronze medal in the Athens 2004 Olympics, Rulon the wrecking ball Gardner accepted an invitation to compete in a professional mixed martial arts (MMA) bout. Rulon was partially on the hook. He finished his college career at the University of Nebraska, finishing fourth at the 1993 NCAA championships and departing Lincoln with a bachelor's degree in physical education and health. Not on the TV show. [20], Gardner served as an analyst for NBC Sports coverage of Wrestling at the 2008 Summer Olympics. Also learn how He earned most of networth at the age of 49 years old? Rulon Ellis Gardner (born August 16, 1971) is an American retired Greco-Roman Olympic Gold Medalist wrestler. Oh, do you know who he is? Rulons coworker asks his client. He competed at the 2000 and 2004 Olympics and won the gold medal in 2000, defeating Russia's three-time reigning gold medalist Aleksandr Karelin in the final. Search instead in Creative? Thats his daily motivation. 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 gold medal was so far away from what I thought I could do in my life. He pulls into a parking lot surrounded by snow-covered peaks, leaves Gus in the car and steps into the chilly mountain air in his gym shorts. State titles on three, Martinez says. He did not appear on the final episode of the season, except in the background of scenes of other contestants. 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. One of the Greco-Roman grapplers lowest moments came in 2012, when he filed for bankruptcy. After several hours in his makeshift shelter, he stopped shivering and started having visions, which led him to believe that he was probably dying. Gus, his 14-year-old Shih Tzu, sits on his left shoulder, staring out through the cracked windshield at the cars ahead. He and Justin were the heaviest team on the ranch. "I wasnt a great wrestler in college, but I wanted to be," Gardner said. It would hurt Rulons reputation if he oversold one of his athletes and they didnt back up his praise. Olympic gold medalist and (until recently) presumed "Biggest Loser" frontrunner Rulon Gardner has something to say about his sudden and shocking voluntary exit . In 2001, Gardner added a world championship to his list of accomplishments with a victory in the finals over Mihaly Deak-Bardos of Hungary. At this time, Im asking to leave The Biggest Loser for a personal reason. And that was it. This Time, Rulon Gardner Survived Small Plane Crash. The wrestler has almost lost his life several times. Empty shelves line the wall to his right, but various items from his vast memorabilia collection fill the ones to his left. Rulon began a regular wrestling season while in junior high and continued with the wrestling seasons until he graduated with a degree in physical education from the University of Nebraska. In 2004, he won a bronze medal at the Olympics. Rulon plays the Dont you know who I am? cardbut, seriously, dont you know who he is? Its sour, but its still candy. Rulon asks the client to share some of his corporate financial goals, and Lydia gives the pitch about what services they can offer. 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. Rulon Gardner passed up a chance at $250,000 on NBC's hit show "The Biggest Loser" to return home. Before the 2004 Olympic Trials he was in a motorcycle accident and then dislocated his right wrist punching the bleachers after losing his cool during a pickup basketball game. Welcome back? Rulon chuckled, after hed left, and he made a face that said: Busted. He was an All-State selection in both football and wrestling, and was also the 1989 wrestling state heavyweight champion. 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. From Allstate telling you to prepare for mayhem, to State Farm handling a series of calamities at Chris Pauls house to Farmers dealing with any nightmare scenario J.K. Simmons can conjure. 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. 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. And he seems fine with the arrangement. We are committed to making our website ADA compliant. Some of the unwelcome nicknames given to him included Dumbo, and later Fatso due to his size. displays the regions early history. FORMER OLYMPIC star Rulon Gardner opened up over hitting rock-bottom that included spiralling debts of 3million. In November 2018, he and wife Kathleen Kennedy received the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award, an . Shortly after, he became a national junior college heavyweight wrestling champion and walked on to the University of Nebraskas football team. Someday those details may come out. He graduated from the University of NebraskaLincoln with a bachelor's degree in physical education. Rulon draws on his own experience, knowing what made the best preparation for him before countless tournaments at the highest possible levels. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. After Amputation, Motorcycle Accident And Plane Crash, Olympic Gold Medal Wrestler Rulon Gardner Now Faces Bankruptcy., Dahlberg, Tim. He strolls past a crowd of high school girls, and none of them even turn their heads to notice him as his towering figure walks through the rows of narrow red lockers, and hangs a left toward the wrestling room. He jumped anyway. "I'd be in the OR and I'd have 12 sets of different instruments. Read more of SI's Daily Cover stories here. He again cuts a hulking figure, now situated behind a desk in a Dri-FIT, long-sleeved black athletic shirt, gray slacks and black sneakers. Herrimans lightest wrestler, Jack Lounsbury, is up first. He travelled over 9,000km to Japan to take on judo Olympic gold medallist Hidehiko Yoshida. Im not gonna just sit down and take whatever happens.. At the time, Rulon and his then wife were operating a gym in Logan, Utah, and Justin was an investor. He says Bob wanted to stay in touch and keep helping him live healthier. Rulon moseys around and cant stop himself from giving advice to some of the wrestlers on other teams. His win made him the only American to ever win both a World and Olympic title in Greco-Roman wrestling. But he has a tendency to go there and not execute.". I was walking out there saying, Well, Im at least guaranteed a silver medal.". None of the three sustained life-threatening injuries. Jack gets out to an early lead, but is pinned despite being ahead in points. There is one tangible positive in Rulons life as a direct result of his appearance on The Biggest Loser. After 16 weeks on the show, Gardner had lost 173 pounds! Because the human body and the human mind can overcome anything.. After a first interview in Salt Lake City and a second-round tryout in California, they were all set. Back down from the podium, Herrimans state champions pose in every combination for their own photos, iPhone camera rolls filling up with teammates, parents, siblings and coaches in various groupings. I was offered millions by the WWE to compete for them and I turned it down, Gardner said. 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. His family barn burned down when he was a kid. You want me to come give a speech? Because Rulon Gardner isnt a quitter. Hey Mount Olive wrestlers, this is Rulon Gardner. Rulon stands and leans against her desk, hovering above a speakerphone, mindlessly clicking his pen as they discuss auto insurance quotes for a father who wants to buy a car for a teenage son whos already been in a fender bender. But theres also a football signed by John Elway, Steve Young, Warren Moon and some smudged names that are harder to make out. 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. But in the end, he found his inner steel. The former Olympic champion said he lost 150 pounds, with his ultimate goal being making it back to the Olympics.. He competed at the 2000 and 2004 Olympics and won the gold medal in 2000, defeating Russia's Aleksandr Karelin in the final. After reaching his competitive training weight, Rulon chose to leave the show in support of his wife and to begin the next chapter of his life. But he quit the. They dim the lights and extend the lower level of the bleachers, with extra rows of yellow seats now closer to the action. Gardner is standing along the center line between the rows of mats with an eye on his four guys, who are split into pairs to get loose. He graduated from the University of NebraskaLincoln with a bachelor's degree in physical education. Karelin tried to break Gardner's will quickly. At points, there were times I thought, You know what, just give up. Gardner attempted a comeback for the 2012 Olympics but was unable to make the 264.5 pound max weight limit for the U.S. Olympic Trials and therefore ineligible to compete for a position on the Olympic team. The 8,500-seat gym is the former home of an NBA G-League team thats since moved to Delaware and a former team in a now defunct arena football league. But hes a recognizable customer, and several other diners came up to tell Rulon they were fans or he was an inspiration as they passed by his table on their way to and from the buffet. In 2011, he accepted an offer to appear on American reality TV show The Biggest Loser, in an attempt to shed some of his 474lbs (215kg). Im happy.. Maybe not quite as busy as when he grew up on the farm, milking cows and carrying irrigation pipe from sunup to sundown. Castranuova says she thought Rulon would win the whole competition and was shocked when he left. No one was more surprised by his victory over . I know what I need to do, now I need to focus, and The Biggest Loser taught you that. To get back to that weight. We have estimated Rulon doesnt follow. He also declined the opportunity to wrestle in the professional WWE ranks. Nicole Hazen, the wife of Arizona Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen, died on Thursday after a lengthy cancer battle. Gardner won a bronze medal at the 2004 Games. [A PR rep for the show, which has since been relaunched on the NBC/Comcast-owned USA Network, could not make anyone involved with Gardners season of the show available for comment. In the second period, Karelin quickly put his prey in a lock that opponents rarely escaped from. Gold medal winner Rulon Gardner has survived two Olympics, a plane wreck, a broken neck and nearly dying in the Wyoming wilderness. Against harrowing odds, Rulon emerged as the victor. But between a full-time job selling insurance and speaking engagements across the country, he has a full plate. In the morning they were able to flag down a passing fisherman who picked them up. The sun is starting to set. Rulon still looks to his old buddy Dremiel Byers for inspiration. Today Im not the person I want to bethe person I should be, he continues. He attributes his strength to the physical labor that he performed growing up and working on the family's dairy farm.[4]. Because it wasnt sitting in some rich collectors safe after an auction, it was just being held onto by an old friend waiting to be made whole. This is their moment, and he wants to let them have it. Hes printed off an endless supply of 5-by-8" photos on glossy paperon one side, the Olympic referee is raising a triumphant Gardners hand as the defeated Russian Karelin is scowling with a hand on his hip. As a member of the 2000 US Olympic wrestling team, Rulon was pitted against Russian legend Alexander Karelin, in what can only be described as a David versus Goliath scenario. After that its club season until April, followed by tournaments and clinics through the summer, not to mention occasional speaking engagements across the country. But he just loves that little red car, with the odometer approaching 300,000 miles. Rad, like many coaches, has put on a tie. Since turning his life around financially, hes been able to reclaim most of it, and today is able to show his hard-won Olympic medals to his students. That was all it took to change Rulon Gardner's life, for better or worse one nine-minute wrestling match against a legendary Russian, and here he is, almost seven years later, still riding the wave of his Olympic triumph in Sydney. As each finals match starts, an announcer over the loudspeaker introduces both wrestlers, along with their hometowns, season records, past accomplishments on the mat, parents names and GPAs. He was afraid that he would lose both of his feet, but fortunately, he only lost his right toe to amputation. In that first match, Karelin slammed Gardner on his face three times and even flipped him feet-first over his head in a violent maneuver that had Gardner's wife, Stacy, fearing for her husband's life. He knows a few things about planning for the unexpected and would be happy to answer your questions about any type of insurance. 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. In just one year, he went through rehabilitation and was back on the mat. Maybe it confused him. Gardner, 49, became an overnight celebrity in 2000 when he won a wrestling gold medal at the Sydney Olympics defeating the legendary Aleksandr Karelin. In 2005, Gardner published his autobiography (co-written by Bob Schaller), Never Stop Pushing: My Life from a Wyoming Farm to the Olympic Medals Stand, in which he describes his Greco-Roman wrestling career, his academic struggles (as someone who suffers from a learning disability) and an account of his near-death experience when stranded after a snowmobile accident. 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. He outlasted 15 contestants and shed 173 pounds, looking notably trimmer and more fit at 301 in his last official weight check. Rulon Gardner was born on 16 August, 1971 in Afton, WY, is an American wrestler and MMA fighter. [6], After the Athens Olympics, Gardner gained 210 pounds, culminating in a total body weight of 474 pounds. He briefly loses his lead, then pulls back ahead and coasts through the final period to a state championship. 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. Karelin was previously unbeaten for 13 years in international competition. The two heavier weights point first to the technique they learned from him. To see him put his head down and feel loss [I felt] happiness, but also sorrow, Rulon says. In 2002, Gardner went snowmobiling with some friends in the mountains surrounding Star Valley, Wyoming. Gardner, trained by Randy Couture at Team Quest, won the bout via unanimous decision. Gardner became an Olympic legend for his performance during the 2000 Games in Sydney. My voice is a little scraggly because I care, he tells them, to some polite chuckles. Rulon Gardner is living a quiet life, just the way he likes it. I probably would have lost the medal for good if I hadnt gone on the show, Rulon said. The youngest of nine children, Rulon Gardner was born to Reed and Virginia Gardner on August 16, 1971. As a pro boxer, she identified with his wrestler mentality. Some kids want it more than others, but few want it as bad as he used to, 20 or 30 years ago. The memories and Sharpie ink fade with time. Gardners life in the public eye has been a twisting journey of highs and lows. Its an interesting twist, being both the new guy and the celebrity. He is famous for being a Wrestler. Instead, he takes each challenge and uses it as a means to improve his life. He was willing to answer questions about anythingfrostbite, bankruptcy, divorcebut not that. Rulon Gardner's age is 51. [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. Attendees stand in line for a minute of his attention. Sometimes crazy stuff happens. It lets us all know that were not untouchable.. Rulon says one of the images that stands out from that day was in the final second of the match, when both wrestlers knew it was over. Wrestler Survives Frozen Night. The Associated Press, Feb. 19, 2002. Im at a low point now. The 49-year-old wrestler was born in . After 16 weeks on the show, Gardner had lost 173 pounds. The specifics, he says, he really cant get into. I feel that my personal goals have been reached here on The Biggest Loser, and its my time to go home. He and his first wife Sheri lost their daughter, Stacey in a terrible car accident on December . He said, Ill call you tomorrow, Rulon says. He wouldnt have his gold medal without it. It helps me get back on my feet and take on the world again.. Rulon Gardners income source is mostly from being a successful Wrestler. He and his first wife Sheri lost their daughter, Stacey in a terrible car accident on December 26, 1990. There was plenty of time to do some soul-searching during a long bus ride home. His wife is Kamie Gardner (m. 2008) Rulon Gardner Net Worth His net worth has been growing significantly in 2021-2022. 9 of 10. Rulon feels he was treated unfairly. My parrot, Gardner jokes. Rulons wrestling career began when he was six years old. He found success, and a new community that believed in him, in the athletics arena. The Real Housewives of Atlanta The Bachelor Sister Wives 90 Day Fiance Wife Swap The Amazing Race Australia Married at First Sight The Real Housewives of Dallas My 600-lb Life Last . He has awards, trophies and plaques, plus T-shirts signed by fellow Olympians. Nine minutes. Even as he gets his feet under himself and recovers financially, he feels betrayed. Its more of a one-on-two. He has two lawyer friends in particular whom he talks to about business decisions. But wrestling was the route Rulon decided to focus on. He says he liked when his coaches would stand, and he thinks it helps him be more animated. ET. Its in this room that Gardner, who became Herrimans head coach before the 201819 season, wants to impart the wisdom that made him an Olympic champion, and that he believes is his duty to pass on to the next generation of wrestlers. 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. Im the eye candy, Rulon jokes. 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. In 2007, Rulon and two friends crashed a lightweight aircraft into Lake Powell, Utah. They clear the floor and the jumbotron hanging from the ceiling lists which bouts will begin on which mats. When he was eventually rescued, he was experiencing hypothermia and severe frostbite. After the 2000 Olympics he suffered a series of injuries from both a snowmobiling and motorcycle accident. This is another touchy subject for Rulon, though one he discusses openly. 4 "Rulon Gardner Won't Die" Featuring Olympic Champion Wrestler to Premiere on 3 June 2020 . It's been 20 years . Rulon is now a dynamic speaker and coach who shares his stories of triumph and loss to motivate and encourage others to fight for their dreams. His goal is to get back to his wrestling weight of 265lbs (120kg). Despite sealing victory and a healthy paycheck as the underdog, Gardner decided to finish his MMA career then and there, as the sport didnt carry the same honour for him as wrestling. Until then, you can get a taster of Gardners amazing story below. She was 45. 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. Its about that time, Rulon says. 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