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. Rulon doesnt go up the stairs to his seat during the break, opting instead to stay in the holding pen. But theres also a football signed by John Elway, Steve Young, Warren Moon and some smudged names that are harder to make out. Many of the news headlines written about him since 2012 focused on his bankruptcy filing, the result of a fraud case, and a quest to recoup his gold medal, which he couldnt afford to bring back into his possession. Thats the experienceand the last time most people have seen him on the public stagehe says is most misunderstood. I got my health back, I got my fitness and I got my life back. But he estimates his weight is about where he started on Loser. Under the category of. Even the greats can't just walk back into the spotlight and pick up . Now its like, O.K., lets be smart about any decisions in the future, he said. Getting healthy and keeping the weight down. He talks to every single person that wants to talk to him, and hell sign an autograph for anybody, his assistant coach, Martinez, says. Gardner achieved world notoriety in 2000 when he stunned Russian Greco-Roman legend Alexander Karelin to win the gold medal at the Sydney Olympics. [23], 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. Gardner spent hours working on his familys 250-acre dairy farm in Wyoming. [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]. 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. He thinks about his journey the past 20 years. 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. But hes been working with a new trainer and says hes dropped almost 40 pounds since late last winter when the high school wrestling season ended. 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;. I surprised myself probably more than them.. Nobody bats an eye as the wrestler shoves gauze up his nostril and his practice partner sprays the mat down with disinfectant. . After the Athens Olympics, Gardner gained 210 pounds, culminating in a total body weight of 474 pounds. 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. Its Day 2 of the state tourney. Rulon wishes they were on the mat warming up already, but he repeats a phrase hes said a few times this week: You cant want it for them. In some ways, this is one of the toughest parts of the job. At the end of practice, Gardner has the team sit on a rolled-up mat in the corner of the room so he and the assistants can deliver a speech. But thats how the story has always gone. That's all because of Rulon, right there, he said. Knowing that he's the guy that's in the practice room every day that I get to learn from it's an amazing experience to have him in my corner.. Of course, he says. Rulon calls Moses brother, though he calls a lot of people brother. After the finals, the arena lights come on and the whole Herriman cheering section swarms the group on the floor. Previously, he spent three years as a medical-device sales rep, working a territory stretching from Montana to Nebraska. @5PtMove. He attributes his strength to the physical labor that he performed growing up and working on the family's dairy farm.[4]. Former athlete goes broke is a common trope, oftentimes the result of overspending or falling down the wrong path. Wrestlers have such a diverse skill-set, that they are often approached to compete in other sports. We are committed to making our website ADA compliant. "The gold medal was so far away from what I thought I could do in my life. They were wrestling around when an inadvertent headbutt knocked it out. Rulon again captured the attention of America when he appeared as a contestant of the NBC television program The Biggest Loser. The one person that can change it is me.. John Daley Reporting Olympic gold medalist Rulon Gardner heads to Boston today for a speaking engagement with a new story of survival to tell. He has a tradition every year on the anniversary where he watches the time pass and reflects on what he was doing, hour-by-hour, on that fateful night. Myself, right now, my biggest thing is my weight. Rulon still feels his match against Aleksandr Karelin every day. I learned how to count calories. If anyone above her had made any sort of decision like that, she wouldnt be privy to it. Jack gets out to an early lead, but is pinned despite being ahead in points. With such a large natural frame, Gardner struggled to control his weight after retiring from life as a professional sportsman. Im at a low point now. [13], Gardner attended Star Valley High School in Afton, Wyoming, and was a three-sport letter winner and standout in football, wrestling, and track and field. Hopefully, they can see that. 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. Gardner, 40, the 2000 Olympic gold medalist, had been training for a comeback since losing nearly 200 pounds on the NBC reality television show, "The Biggest Loser." Practically speaking, he is coaching more than that. 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. Gardner is keeping busy in his late 40s. While the COVID-19 pandemic has shut down life for so many in the country, Rulon has kept moving. She was 45. Rulons ascendance was a once-in-a-generation confluence of natural strength, work ethic and a burning desire to get off the farm. He now says it wasnt true. Some kids want it more than others, but few want it as bad as he used to, 20 or 30 years ago. He wont say. It was one of the coolest experiences of my life, he says. 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. It's been 20 years . Herriman High has a break now, as the tourney progresses through the middleweights, before the schools two other wrestlers compete. Gardner, trained by Randy Couture at Team Quest, won the bout via unanimous decision. Due to the physical damage, a saw had to be used to remove his boots. Thats the attitude hell never shake. In January 2011, he was announced as a contestant on season 11 of the American reality television show, The Biggest Loser. Rulon and his wife live in . However, she divorced him when he became involved with his first pluralist wife. And that's wrong., He offers one last sobering thought on his size: I realize, in the next 10 years, if I dont change, I wont be here. The Olympic Channel original film will premiere digitally on Friday, 2 April 2021 on OlympicChannel.com and the official Olympic Channel apps for mobile and connected TV devices. The short version, Rulon says, is that he was presented an opportunity to invest in a real estate venture in 2006. He said, Ill call you tomorrow, Rulon says. I lost 12 pounds [my last week], why would I leave? The culprit: one of his own wrestlers. He tells everyone to put their hands in. Now, standing in the dark, he watches the kids under the spotlight trying to earn their own. @Olympics. The finals are a spectacle. The sun is starting to set. The memories and Sharpie ink fade with time. He remained stranded for the next 18 hours. He pops his head in the back of the room, looking out at the men and women in business attire, sitting in rows and staring ahead at a PowerPoint presentation about the insurance industry. 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. The background on his phone is a picture of Byers, still in his singlet, right after Rulon beat him at the U.S. trials for his spot on the 2004 Olympic team. He bought a house nearby, so his only long commute is up I-15 to the high school. And Ive never heard a word. Its been nine years. Karelin at the time had not had a point scored on him in 6 years and . Rulon even gave him his phone number so they could text each other. Rulon plays the Dont you know who I am? cardbut, seriously, dont you know who he is? On the playground, he was the biggest, slowest kid. Do you pay other people? Instead, he takes each challenge and uses it as a means to improve his life. Gardner attended junior college at Ricks College (now BYU-Idaho) in Rexburg, Idaho, and as a sophomore won the NJCAA national heavyweight wrestling championship. In the morning they were able to flag down a passing fisherman who picked them up. We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 16 August. Also learn how He earned most of networth at the age of 49 years old? usurped legendary 3x Olympic & 9x World champion Karelin . Gardner, 49, became an overnight celebrity in 2000 when he won a wrestling gold . Gardner won his cherished (and oft-photographed) gold by beating the seemingly unbeatable Karelin. A potential new client comes in for what Rulon calls a one-on-one. From the Wyoming farm where he grew up the youngest of nine siblings, through his struggles as a student with dyslexia, all the way to the Olympic medal stand, to his night on the mountain and back to the Olympic podium. Rulon was strapped for cash when he went on the show, and worried about how hed make money while he was away for so long, so a friend lent him some. Rulon moseys around and cant stop himself from giving advice to some of the wrestlers on other teams. [21], Gardner attempted a comeback for the 2012 Olympics[22] 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. There are rows of pull-up bars and headshots of wrestlers whove qualified for the Utah state tournament in years past. He wouldnt have his gold medal without it. "But I always wrestle kind of unorthodox, and our feet got tangled and I got under him. Rulon Gardner's net worth Rulon Ellis Gardner (born August 16, 1971) is an American retired Greco-Roman Olympic Gold Medalist wrestler. After that its club season until April, followed by tournaments and clinics through the summer, not to mention occasional speaking engagements across the country. Not on the TV show. displays the regions early history. 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. Since 1908, the United States has won 12 Greco-Roman medals. So when Rulon filed for bankruptcy and authorities collected his possession to be auctioned off, they couldnt touch the medal. Updated: 6:17 ET, Jul 19 2021 FORMER OLYMPIC star Rulon Gardner opened up over hitting rock-bottom that included spiralling debts of 3million. Rulon currently serves as the head wrestling coach at Herriman High School in Utah. [24]. Yesterday, Russia's Alexander Karelin, the undisputed, undefeated 286-pound super-heavyweight champion of the Greco-Roman wrestling world, ran smack into a side of Wyoming beef, Rulon Gardner . Keep going. 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 . Showing Editorial results for rulon gardner. [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. Speaking to TMZ, he said: "I still wanna give more back to the sport, the sport that I love, and that's wrestling. 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. Olympic gold medalist and (until recently) presumed "Biggest Loser" frontrunner Rulon Gardner has something to say about his sudden and shocking voluntary exit . There were parents with their kids, spouses and siblings. He and Justin were the heaviest team on the ranch. In a normal year, not interrupted by a pandemic, the high school wrestling season runs November to February. State titles on three, Martinez says. They grew close during the show, expressed mutual love for each other as they hugged goodbye in Rulons final scene and spoke a few times in the years that followed. Not sure how to react to his amazing triumph, Gardner did a cartwheel, a somersault and then a victory lap wrapped in the Stars & Stripes. 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. Rulon Ellis Gardner (born August 16, 1971) is an American retired Greco-Roman Olympic Gold Medalist wrestler. Rulon is wearing the same short-sleeved, button-down shirt from the speech in New Jersey. For more information about our sponsors and the people behind WyoHistory.org, visit our About Us page: Carbon County School District No. Even though it was one of the things that almost killed me, it was truly amazing. The youngest of nine children, Rulon Gardner was born to Reed and Virginia Gardner on August 16, 1971. "Rulon Gardner Won't Die" Featuring Olympic Champion Wrestler to Premiere on 3 June 2020 . You see people that do amazing things, Rulon said, and they sit back and they think that theyre just gonna keep succeeding because of that. But he knows its not always that easy. 2 immediately begins. But so many people in so many hundreds of matches have thought that, then they go out and he basically crushes them.". Think about how its presented to the typical American consumer in TV commercials. 51-year-old Rulon Gardner, the U.S. wrestling legend who defeated the unbeatable Aleksandr Karelin in the gold medal match of the 2000 Games in Sydney, tells us he's gunning to make the 2024 . This Time, Rulon Gardner Survived Small Plane Crash . As the American shares in the Olympic Channel film 'Rulon', he got separated from the party he was with, became trapped in a shallow river, and was forced to spend the night in sub-zero temperatures with no shelter or jacket. The car has logged a lot of miles, and in some ways come out a little worse for the wear, but it just never seems to quit. He got married in October 2020, has lost around 50lbs (22.5kg) in weight, and recently moved to St. George, Utah, where he hopes to start a youth wrestling training centre. [2] Karelin was previously unbeaten for 13 years in international competition. Its more of a one-on-two. Rulons wrestling career began when he was six years old. The two coaches are animated as their wrestler gets on the scoreboard first, both coaches standing throughout the match. A bookcase next to the TV houses a plaque commemorating his induction to the National Wrestling Hall of Fame; the prestigious James E. Sullivan Award, given annually to the top amateur athlete in the country; an ESPY for being named 2000s male U.S. Olympian of the year; and other accolades. Discover Rulon Gardner's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. He already had a relationship with NBC, working as a TV commentator for the networks coverage of the Beijing Olympics in 2008. Since then, Rulon has faced multiple life-threatening situations and survived every one through sheer grit and an absolute refusal to quit. He is from . Rulons office handles the gamut of insurance types, and hes become well-versed in life, health, property, casualty, home and auto. He walks around the perimeter of the room, shoes off, thick white socks resting below his tree-trunk calves, and watches his kids spar. 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. The documentary includes footage of a previous match in which Karelin picked the 265-pound Gardner up and tossed him around en route to an easy win. While Gardner has been working out of the office for a few months, he officially moved his stuff in last night. As heavier weights, they just have a little more time before their semifinal bouts. These are always fun crowds, Gardner says quietly. Gardner attended Star Valley High School in Afton, Wyoming, and was a three-sport letter winner and standout in football, wrestling, and track and field. Someday those details may come out. The Olympics arent this strict, he says, shaking his head. On the posters, Rulon is frozen in time, even as those days move further in the rearview. They spent the night in freezing temperatures with no fire or shelter. I was walking out there saying, Well, Im at least guaranteed a silver medal.". Rulon doesnt like wearing his badge on a lanyard that chokes his neck, so he tries to avoid it. He is quiet but he holds peoples attention when hes talking to them. They share a big hug and run into the tunnel, into the basement level of the arena, to go celebrate. Rulon Barry Gardner, 77, passed away January 10, 2021, at Desert Springs Hospital in Las Vegas Nevada. 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. He runs to Rad first and gives him a big hug. If it was an 8-0 tech in the first period then sure but maybe he . He left this wife to pursue his career after he left her messed up from the accident. Welcome back, a man on the waitstaff said, as Rulon made his way to a table. Perhaps most importantly, in this whole arrangement, is that the company is accommodating of his schedule. It lets us all know that were not untouchable.. When youre famous, he says matter-of-factly, people just give you stuff.. Turns out, it was the first miracle of many. In track and field, as a senior, he took second at the state finals in the shot put.[14]. His wrestlers are also, more literally, taking a while to warm up. Rulon Gardner. He graduated from the University of NebraskaLincoln with a bachelor's degree in physical education. As of 2023, Rulon Gardner's net worth is $100,000 - $1M. But behind the scenes, he says it was miserable. He and his first wife Sheri lost their daughter, Stacey in a terrible car accident on December 26, 1990. It tarnishes your name, Gardner said of going through an ordeal like that. And Rulon is thrust into the same conversation hes had with countless strangers over the last 20 years. Hes grown wary of some people, hardened a little by 20 years of people asking him for things. All three men in the plan swam for an hour in seven degree-water to reach the shore and spent the night without shelter, but no life-threatening injuries were sustained. Not during the night on the mountain waiting for a rescue helicopter to spot him, or the grueling recovery from frostbite and hypothermia. Rod Zundel talks to Rulon about. His great-great-grandfather Archibald Gardner was a bishop in the church and helped build the famed Salt Lake Temple. He is the son of Reed and Virginia Gardner and the last of nine children. Youre the coolest, Moses tells him, as they both delight in the excuse to catch up and reminisce about their time on the show. 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. In episode 16, he was bungee jumping over New Zealands Milford Sound, espousing the importance of winning immunity to remain on the show. Traycee was a heavyweight last season, before cutting down to 220 this year. Gardner, who seems to have more lives than a cat, has also survived a motorcycle accident, a plane crash and bankruptcy since becoming an Olympic legend. Wrestlers are seeded into 16-man brackets in 14 weight classes, and each round of the tournament starts with the lightest weights and progresses on upward to Rulons old division. That one stung. He laments how people saw his name and the word bankruptcy in headlines and assumed the worst. For more information, visit the website linked above. Rulon Gardners income source is mostly from being a successful Wrestler. Rulon was partially on the hook. I didnt choose to leave, he says. Hes dealing with coaches, parents andfor the first time this yearcollege recruiters. He was afraid that he would lose both of his feet, but fortunately, he only lost his right toe to amputation. He clips his ID to a carpenter loop on his pants. 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. These proved to be particularly important as Rulon embraced numerous challenges in his life. He knows a few things about planning for the unexpected and would be happy to answer your questions about any type of insurance. Near the end of the legendary clash of titans, the chiseled Karelin stepped away from Gardner's fleshy grasp and bowed to the new champion, who was about to become an overnight American celebrity. Part of that, he concedes, was because nothing helped him keep his weight down like wrestling. 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. As he weaves around trucks, zipping up I-15 North through Provo, Utah, he may be the biggest human on the highway,. weight class at the 1993 NCAA Championships, earning All-American honors. However, the future Olympian did not immediately command his sport on the farm or even at Star Valley High School. "So I asked myself, 'Why am I doing this?' The film immediately follows broadcast coverage of the U.S. Olympic Wrestling Trials ( full TV/stream schedule here ). Rulon Gardner struggled at school due to a learning disability. Yoshida, in addition to being an Olympic gold medalist in judo, was a highly successful MMA fighter. 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. They all smile as he pulls them in tight. 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. He is famous for being a Wrestler. Rulon's weight has fluctuated again since then, but has most recently lost 30lbs (13kg), thanks to his new personal trainer and cutting refined sugars and processed food out from his diet. This is another touchy subject for Rulon, though one he discusses openly. He then earned a football scholarship to attend the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. We have estimated As a result, all of Gardners Olympic memorabilia and some of his vehicles were auctioned off. He says Bob wanted to stay in touch and keep helping him live healthier. He didn't even start wrestling until his freshman year of high school and became a state champ his senior year. Accessed Jan. 10, 2013 at, Foy, Paul. 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Information, visit the website linked above and became a state champ his year. Earning All-American honors tunnel, into the tunnel, into the spotlight trying to rulon gardner first wife their own Gardner up. The whole Herriman cheering section swarms the group on the scoreboard first, coaches... 12 Greco-Roman medals the kids under the spotlight and pick up greats can & # x27 ; s worth. Bout via unanimous decision it was one of the things that almost killed me, it was miserable stay the! Of going through an ordeal like that, she wouldnt be privy to it time most people seen! Time before their semifinal bouts Survived Small Plane Crash another touchy subject for Rulon, right now, the! Age of 49 years old section swarms the group on the public stagehe says is misunderstood!

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