Twenty years after winning a stunning gold medal at the Sydney Olympics, former wrestler Rulon Gardner reflects on the winding path his . He was an All-State selection in both football and wrestling, and was also the 1989 wrestling state heavyweight champion. 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. . Herrimans lightest wrestler, Jack Lounsbury, is up first. While in junior college, he and his first wife lost their daughter in a car accident. He filed for bankruptcy in 2012, losing his Olympic medals in the process. Can I talk to the parents about insurance afterward? My voice is a little scraggly because I care, he tells them, to some polite chuckles. His net worth has been growing significantly in 2022-2023. He used rigorous, hours-long workouts to keep his weight in check . So, how much is Rulon Gardner worth at the age of 52 years old? Martinez is a Utahn and three-time NCAA qualifier at Clarion in Pennsylvania who also went 153 as a pro martial arts fighter. 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. I feel that my personal goals have been reached here on The Biggest Loser, and its my time to go home. Gardner is a Wyoming native who now lives in Utah. Super-sized wrestling star Rulon Gardner lost his only daughter in a 1990 car wreck and now hopes his turn on . Wrestlers have such a diverse skill-set, that they are often approached to compete in other sports. From Sydney to Athens, to a snowmobile accident that resulted in an amputation, to a tumultuous stint on The Biggest Loser, Gardner has had plenty of unique experiences. Rulon Gardner Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images While some of Rulons own wrestlers may essentially be over it, others in the arena are more starstruck by the presence of an all-time great. 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. A good friend of Rulons had a nephew whose son wrestled at Herriman, so Gardner came to a practice and offered to help a local club team. Roly-poly Ru, a head shorter than his opponent, followed the chiseled 280-pound monster onto the mat. [24], 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. And thats the story that he stuck to for nine years. Rulon Ellis Gardner (born August 16, 1971) is an American retired Greco-Roman Olympic Gold Medalist wrestler. On the other side is all of Rulons professional contact info and a list of insurance brands they hawkand guess what Rulon signs every time somebody bugs him for an autograph. Trending News. They dont need him there. 2023 US Wrestling Open Championship : r/wrestling - Reddit First published on February . There is one tangible positive in Rulons life as a direct result of his appearance on The Biggest Loser. [22], Gardner attempted a comeback for the 2012 Olympics[23] 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. Jack has his head down, arms grabbing the trusses along the side of the metal bleachers. LINCOLN, Neb. Rulon, in his life, has collected medals upon medals, each one from high school through college saved in Ziploc bags in his home to prove it. The office sits in a strip of brick storefronts, and the front door opens to a wall of pristine, snowcapped mountains. His next close shave came in 2007, when he survived a crash in a light aircraft. Now its like, O.K., lets be smart about any decisions in the future, he said. Then they both win and advance. . Swift. Rulon Gardner's age is 51. He also works as an insurance agent at JRI Insurance in Payson, Utah. He competed at the 2000 and 2004 Olympics and won the gold medal in 2000, defeating Russia's three-time reigning Olympic gold medalist Aleksandr Karelin in the final. But life moves on. Rulon Gardner was born on the 16th of August, 1971. Im not gonna just sit down and take whatever happens.. Theres things that need to be addressed in my life back home, Rulon told the camera after his announcement. He was able to regain his medals in 2020. [11][12] He told his story on a first-season episode of I Survived. On February 24, 2007,[13] Gardner and two other men survived a crash when a light aircraft he was traveling in crashed into Lake Powell, Utah. At the time, Rulon and his then wife were operating a gym in Logan, Utah, and Justin was an investor. He laments how people saw his name and the word bankruptcy in headlines and assumed the worst. He and Justin were the heaviest team on the ranch. Its one in a long line of injuries he has battled throughout his life. In the morning they were able to flag down a passing fisherman who picked them up. Sports Illustrated is here! he tells him. But behind the scenes, he says it was miserable. What Rulon Gardner Has Been Up (and Down) to - Sports Illustrated In 2002, Gardner went snowmobiling with some friends in the mountains surrounding Star Valley, Wyoming. And whos seen more accidents than Rulon Gardner? 'Mom didn't raise no killing machine': Olympic gold medalist Rulon 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. 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. Thats the stark reality. Rulon learned about hard work and determination which became core values in Rulon Gardners life. Hell be standing there, then suddenly, and violently, whip his neck sideways and then whip it back in the other direction, a tic that offers temporary relief. None of the three sustained life-threatening injuries. He then earned a scholarship to attend the University of NebraskaLincoln. 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. None of the three sustained life-threatening injuries. Some of the unwelcome nicknames given to him included Dumbo, and later Fatso due to his size. Unable to move any farther, Gardner decided to build a shelter and wait for a rescue team. Im the eye candy, Rulon jokes. After 16 weeks on the show, Gardner had lost 173 pounds. 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. Options: Reply Quote Posted by: PtLoma ( ) Date: April 29, 2011 05:50PM He tells everyone to put their hands in. Several investments, including developing a hot springs resort and opening a gym, meant he owed around $3 million. After the finals, the arena lights come on and the whole Herriman cheering section swarms the group on the floor. 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. 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. 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. Now hes just one of the coaches. In some ways, Gardner blends in amid the hundreds of wrestlers and dozens of coaches. For many high school wrestlers, this will be the pinnacle of their athletic careers, and the moment is treated with that gravity. 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. Where Are They Now: Rulon Gardner - Sports Illustrated Olympic Gold Medalist, Survivor, Motivational Speaker. I probably would have lost the medal for good if I hadnt gone on the show, Rulon said. Rulon Gardner's terrifying trek: From Olympic hero to a new life Rulon Gardner Won't Die (2021) - IMDb Do you pay other people? He walks around the perimeter of the room, shoes off, thick white socks resting below his tree-trunk calves, and watches his kids spar. I didnt want to leave.. L-R . But none of that is to say Talmage and Traycee dont want it. Because I learned so much about myself. [19], After the 2000 Olympics he suffered a series of injuries from both a snowmobiling and motorcycle accident. Due to the physical damage, a saw had to be used to remove his boots. In 2007, Gardner survived a plane crash by swimming for more than an hour in 44-degree water. 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. 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. Currently Gardner is missing a tooth, the incisor to the right of his two front teeth. You cant sit and dwell on it. Thats the attitude hell never shake. He thinks about his journey the past 20 years. He has appeared at many corporate events, celebrity golf tournaments, trade shows, and conventions. In other ways, Rulon has a presence. American Rulon Gardner upsets undefeated and un-scored-upon Russian Aleksandr Karelin to claim a stunning gold at the 2000 Sydney Olympics #NBCSports #RulonG. Rulon doesnt follow. This is another touchy subject for Rulon, though one he discusses openly. 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. He says that after his comeback bid fell shortthe result of the 40-year-old not being able to make weight on the day of the U.S. Olympic trialsa contestant gleefully chirped to the public, Once a quitter, always a quitter, even though Rulon says she knew he wasnt really a quitter. Rulon again captured the attention of America when he appeared as a contestant of the NBC television program The Biggest Loser. In life you make mistakes, you learn from them and move forward. As he weaves around trucks, zipping up I-15 North through Provo, Utah, he may be the biggest human on the highway,. And Rulon is thrust into the same conversation hes had with countless strangers over the last 20 years. American Olympian who competed in the 2000 Olympic games in Greco-Roman wrestling, winning a gold medal in the 130 kg weight class. (Herriman competes in 6A, the classification for the biggest schools in the state.) And the next year, he won a world championship. Fighting chance. After losing 173lbs, he decided to leave the programme early for personal reasons. After 16 weeks on the show, Gardner had lost 173 pounds. The men swam an hour in 44F (7C) water to reach shore, and then spent the night without shelter. He talks to the state qualifiers about visualizing their day. On the playground, he was the biggest, slowest kid. The night before the tournament, he stopped at a buffet restaurant for dinner. Its horrifying for me and my family.. Gardner won a bronze medal at the 2004 Games. I was offered millions by the WWE to compete for them and I turned it down, Gardner said. Hey Mount Olive wrestlers, this is Rulon Gardner. [8] 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. It is the latest foray in a string of jobs that includes owning a gym, driving a forklift and working as a medical device rep for Johnson & Johnson, which is when he put many of those miles on the Beetle. He lets the manager of one local insurance outlet put him in a headlock for their photo. After graduating from the University of Nebraska, Rulon continued his Olympic wrestling pursuit with full-time dedication. 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. 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. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. And hes since gotten smarter about managing his finances and investments. He's a gem! 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. For much of his storied sports career, two-time Olympic medalist Rulon Gardner was a slave to the scale. The arena at Utah Valley University is set up with eight wrestling mats in two rows of four. He would rise before the sun to move bales of hay, chop wood, and milk and clean cows, and attributes his early strength to the rigors of this work. Select from premium Rulon Gardner of the highest quality. But in the end, he found his inner steel. Rulon schmoozes, telling stories and jokes before Lydia steers things back toward business. Rulon Gardner's income source is mostly from being a successful Wrestler. Gus, his 14-year-old Shih Tzu, sits on his left shoulder, staring out through the cracked windshield at the cars ahead. He says Harper told him, I waited my whole career for you. She presented a business plan that looked solid. Rulon Gardner says 'Biggest Loser' sparks a possible return to Nearly a dozen younger members of the team who failed to qualify for States are doing their own drills in one corner of the room. The Herriman High wrestling room has one regulation-sized circle, and the dark blue mat extends out to light blue padded walls. When the high school team needed a new coach soon after that, he got the job. And that was the real reason that I was coming to The Biggest Loser. June 03, 2002 Feet First After a snowmobile mishap left him ravaged by frostbite and cost him a toe, Olympic heavyweight Rulon Gardner is taking his comeback one step at a time E.M. 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. His family were also a key part of the Mormon community. Afton welcomed hometown hero Rulon . Rulon and his wife live in Logan, Utah, where he runs a gym with Pope. He didn't even start wrestling until his freshman year of high school and became a state champ his senior year. Rulon says hes still willing to go out of his way for people he trusts, but he cant fulfill every request. Rulon and his wife live in Logan, Utah, where he runs a gym with Pope. Russian super heavyweight Aleksandr Karelin hadn't lost. What are you doing down there? he bellows at one wrestler who is splayed out on all fours underneath an opponent. When he was eventually rescued, he was experiencing hypothermia and severe frostbite. The Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1 on Saturday night for their first NHL playoff series win in nearly two decades. Nobody bats an eye as the wrestler shoves gauze up his nostril and his practice partner sprays the mat down with disinfectant. Rulon's wife at the time feared he might be literally paralyzed by the Russian. Rulon Gardner - Popular Bio That would be impossible. It takes the lower half of his body a little longer to warm up in the morning, and he happened to roll his ankle two or three times yesterday. I had better positioning than that guy did., It's amazing, Talmage said. Gardner won a bronze medal at the 2004 Games. That one stung. Most coaches sit in the chairs, but Rulon stands behind his. Yoshida, in addition to being an Olympic gold medalist in judo, was a highly successful MMA fighter. Not during the night on the mountain waiting for a rescue helicopter to spot him, or the grueling recovery from frostbite and hypothermia. Gardner attended junior college at Ricks College (now BYU-Idaho) in Rexburg, Idaho, and as a sophomore won the NJCAA national heavyweight wrestling championship. School was a struggle for Rulon due to a learning disability. After falling into the river four times, Rulon was unable to move any farther and he decided to build a shelter and wait for a rescue team. Gardner's snowmobile wreck made a lasting impression on him: He reflects on it frequently, and it has cost him feeling in his feet. Rulon Gardner, a 2000 Olympic wrestling champion, said he was 15 pounds to heavy to compete at this week's U.S. Open despite registering for the event, which would have been his first meet in . It's been 20 years since Gardner, a 2,000-to-1 underdog, beat three-time gold medalist. In the new Olympic Channel documentary Rulon, the Wyoming native shares his personal journey, from humble roots growing up on a dairy farm to finding fame, and how his resilience helped him to overcome adversity, and multiple near-death experiences. Rulon Gardner Biography | Official Site of Rulon Gardner Rulon had placed only as high as 5th in the world before 2000. Hell take five minutes with someone or an hour with someone if they want. 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. Two-time Olympian and wrestling legend Rulon Gardner released a statement Wednesday morning regarding his abrupt decision to quit 'The Biggest Loser' even though some considered him the. Gardner stands in front of the crowd and runs through his well-rehearsed life story. To see him put his head down and feel loss [I felt] happiness, but also sorrow, Rulon says. Unbelievably, that wasn't Rulon's only near-death experience with hypothermia. When Phillies star Bryce Harper underwent Tommy John surgery in late November, he was expected to be able to return by around the All-Star break. His headgear is on, his knee pad is up and his warmup outfit is cast aside, as hes down to just his singlet. Gardner is known for his defeat of Aleksandr Karelin at the 2000 Summer Olympics. Also learn how He earned most of networth at the age of 52 years old? Rulon came back to the Olympics in 2004 to defend his title and took home the Bronze medal. Rulon Ellis Gardner (born August 16, 1971) is an American retired Greco-Roman wrestler. However, she divorced him when he became involved with his first pluralist wife. Its about that time, Rulon says. Herriman High has a break now, as the tourney progresses through the middleweights, before the schools two other wrestlers compete. He has a torch from the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics, which he got to carry right before his snowmobile accident. The client takes a seat facing Rulons desk, and Lydia sits in Rulons chair while he stands behind her. . I didnt choose to leave, he says. He bought a house nearby, so his only long commute is up I-15 to the high school. One client leaves and its on to the next one. 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. The specifics, he says, he really cant get into. My mom said, Is this the kid that I raised? He outlasted 15 contestants and shed 173 pounds, looking notably trimmer and more fit at 301 in his last official weight check. Last summer, Gardner began to seriously consider a wrestling comeback. Not a chance in the world, he told Washington Post when asked if he believed hed beat Karelin. Some kids want it more than others, but few want it as bad as he used to, 20 or 30 years ago. He graduated from the University of NebraskaLincoln with a bachelor's degree in physical education. But thats how the story has always gone. The problem: She had been fabricating documents, according to the FBI, including the ones she showed Rulon. Rulon has to toe the line. 'The man who never quits': Rulon Gardner speaks at Cedar City Chamber He was no slouch. Today, Gardner has taken the lessons learnt and built a new life for himself. Gardner was also irritated by some of the sniping from fellow contestants. is 6 2 and Weight 265lbs. Rulon gives his incoming wrestler a high-five, then high-fives his state champ and match No. 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. Gardner, trained by Randy Couture at Team Quest, won the bout via unanimous decision. 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. In 2010, Rulon was inducted as a Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. The harrowing experience cost Gardner the middle toe on his right foot, which he keeps in formaldehyde in a jar in his refrigerator, to remind him of his mortality. Wrestling has taken Gardner to 44 countries. Herriman has a section in the arenas upper deck for teammates, parents and supporters. 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. On the desk he has nothing but a binder, a notebook and a red Powerade Zero Sugar. But wrestling was the route Rulon decided to focus on. Rulon Gardner's battle with himself - Yahoo Sports But he also knows hes Rulon Gardner. , money, salary, income, and assets. Former Husker wrestler Rulon Gardner attempting comeback State titles on three, Martinez says. 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. Once they eventually make their way down from the bleachers and warm up, after the announcer over the loudspeaker instructs everyone to clear the mats, Rulon gathers them in the holding area and offers some last-minute reminders. We have estimated Rulon Gardner's net worth , money, salary, income, and assets. We have estimated 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. Both will advance to Day 2, starting with the semifinals in the morning, two wins away from the top spot on the podium. Rulon wears many hats and maintains several revenue streams, but from the Got Milk? posters at his speaking engagements to the business cards with his Olympic photo on them, part of his appeal is still simply being Rulon Gardner. Rulons achievements in the program were nothing short of astonishing. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. Thats his daily motivation. Attendees stand in line for a minute of his attention. Twenty years after winning a stunning gold medal at the Sydney Olympics, former wrestler Rulon Gardner reflects on the winding path his life has taken. Before attending Nebraka, Gardner was a junior college national champion at Ricks College. 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. He did not appear on the final episode of the season, except in the background of scenes of other contestants. On this very trip, he was disappointed because he would have liked to go to the famed Carnegie Deli, whose main restaurant in Manhattan closed in 2016 after nearly 80 years. There are two lightweights and two heavyweights, making for convenient practice partners. So hell need yet another implant, but theres just no time during the season. Rulon signed up with his friend Justin Pope, a fellow wrestler (who beat Rulon in junior high) and long-time friend. The two-time Olympic medalist who was seen by many as the frontrunner in the bid to become the Season 11 winner of 'The Biggest Loser' and take home the . He also takes pride in the fact that even if he wouldnt have ultimately taken his old practice partner Dremiel Byerss spot on the 12 Olympic team, at least he made everyone in the room work a little harder. He is quiet but he holds peoples attention when hes talking to them. Rulon doesnt go up the stairs to his seat during the break, opting instead to stay in the holding pen. That same drive that helped me succeed [in wrestling], is the same drive that helped me survive in the wilderness, he said. Rulon also describes his Greco-Roman wrestling career, his Olympic victory, his academic struggles, and an account of his near-death experience after the snowmobile accident. Gardner put out statements after the episode aired, too, saying hed achieved his goal and was ready to go home to his wife. 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. 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. CEDAR CITY Olympic gold medalist Rulon Gardner took to the podium at a recent luncheon hosted by Cedar City's Chamber of Commerce Thursday to share how he became a champion and survivor. This time Gardner stayed upright, and the two massive men danced chest-to-chest through a scoreless three-minute first period. In that episode of The Biggest Loser where Rulon went bungee jumping, he blew away Bob Harper by telling him shortly before his jump that it was the anniversary of his plane crash into Lake Powell. Hes seen countless gyms from his hometown in Wyoming to the University of Nebraska to the USA Wrestling Olympic training center. In track and field, as a senior, he took second at the state finals in the shot put. Rulon Gardner, The Man Who Wouldn't Die | GQ 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. There was an incident in New Zealand, when contestants had just returned to the show after a holiday break, and he needed a chiropractor. With Bob Costas, Katie Couric, Rulon Gardner, Philip Hersh. All Rights Reserved. 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. In episode 17, he arrived at the group weigh-in wearing his cut-off yellow T-shirt, jogged up a flight of stairs, turned to face his fellow contestants, clasped his hands behind his back and announced: This is gonna be my last time on the scale. And Ive never heard a word. Its been nine years.