The office sits in a strip of brick storefronts, and the front door opens to a wall of pristine, snowcapped mountains. The 51-year-old wrestler was born in . 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. 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. His next close shave came in 2007, when he survived a crash in a light aircraft. 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. After the referee raised Gardner's arm as victor, the modern-day "Alexander the Great" walked off the mat for good, immediately retiring from the sport he had controlled for 15 years. I was walking out there saying, Well, Im at least guaranteed a silver medal.". With Bob Costas, Katie Couric, Rulon Gardner, Philip Hersh. He remained stranded for the next 18 hours. We are committed to making our website ADA compliant. His opponent in the 130kg Greco-Roman final was The Russian bear Aleksandr Karelin, a three-time Olympic champion who had not lost an international bout in 13 years. Its a tragedy, Rulon said, fighting back tears as he stood shirtless, addressing his weight in the season premiere. Rulon Gardner was born on the 16th of August, 1971. Rulon Gardner was born on 16 August, 1971 in Afton, WY, is an American wrestler and MMA fighter. Gardner says the whole front of his mouth is veneer anyway, a result of decades of inadvertent headbutts. I had better positioning than that guy did., It's amazing, Talmage said. (Billy. Rulon moseys around and cant stop himself from giving advice to some of the wrestlers on other teams. Today Im not the person I want to bethe person I should be, he continues. He earned a football scholarship to attend the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He and his first wife Sheri lost their daughter, Stacey in a terrible car accident on December 26, 1990. Read more of SI's Daily Cover stories here. Karelin tried to break Gardner's will quickly. 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. Gardner became famous as a Wyoming farm boy, but his Mormon family has ties back to Utah for generations. Byers seeks to escape Rulon Gardner's long shadow., Weinberg, Rick. But he estimates his weight is about where he started on Loser. Gold medal winner Rulon Gardner has survived two Olympics, a plane wreck, a broken neck and nearly dying in the Wyoming wilderness. He hopes now that the high school season is over, he can refocus on himself. He and his first wife Sheri lost their daughter, Stacey in a terrible car accident on December . He lifts women up off the ground with one arm, if they want him to, and most of them do. Rulon schmoozes, telling stories and jokes before Lydia steers things back toward business. Rulon again captured the attention of America when he appeared as a contestant of the NBC television program The Biggest Loser. After a first interview in Salt Lake City and a second-round tryout in California, they were all set. There is one tangible positive in Rulons life as a direct result of his appearance on The Biggest Loser. Gardner, 43, said the bankruptcy has been difficult to go through, but it has . 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. So, how much is Rulon Gardner worth at the age of 51 years old? Gardner attended junior college at Ricks College (now BYU-Idaho) in Rexburg, Idaho and as a sophomore won the NJCAA national heavyweight wrestling championship. 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 has a torch from the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics, which he got to carry right before his snowmobile accident. For more information, visit the website linked above. When he was eventually rescued, he was experiencing hypothermia and severe frostbite. Rulon Barry Gardner, 77, passed away January 10, 2021, at Desert Springs Hospital in Las Vegas Nevada. 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. 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. Gardner has a little car and a little traveling companion: Gus. This is their moment, and he wants to let them have it. The family traces its roots to the earliest settlers of Star Valley. Im not gonna just sit down and take whatever happens.. In a normal year, not interrupted by a pandemic, the high school wrestling season runs November to February. He was raised on a dairy farm in Wyoming, where the family grew crops and milked cows twice a day. Dremiel Byers, the man Gardner trained against at the Olympic training center in Colorado Springs, Colo., suffered a disappointing loss in the 2012 quarterfinals after finally stepping out of Gardner's large shadow. Rulon still looks to his old buddy Dremiel Byers for inspiration. Rulon doesnt follow. Nationality . In the morning they were able to flag down a passing fisherman who picked them up. Wrestlers have such a diverse skill-set, that they are often approached to compete in other sports. But what he's attempting now could be his biggest upset yet. Currently Gardner is missing a tooth, the incisor to the right of his two front teeth. He has appeared at many corporate events, celebrity golf tournaments, trade shows, and conventions. Gardner, trained by Bas Rutten, won the bout via unanimous decision. That would be impossible. And thats the story that he stuck to for nine years. In episode 16, he was bungee jumping over New Zealands Milford Sound, espousing the importance of winning immunity to remain on the show. For me, it was like, Theyre trusting me to train an Olympic champion? With the video paused, Gardner meanders through one of the most improbable sporting stories ever, about a kid who grew up milking cows on a Wyoming farm. 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. He had to leave and go to a nearby mall to accommodate all the people who wanted to talk to him and get autographs. But the idea of himof Rulon Gardnerbeing a quitter, that one hes ready to put to bed. Unable to move any farther, Gardner decided to build a shelter and wait for a rescue team. So can wrestling mats. 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. Rulon tipped the scale at 474 pounds at the onset of the show, up more than 200 from the 265-pound division in which he competed at the 2004 Olympics. Rulon currently serves as the head wrestling coach at Herriman High School in Utah. Gardner is a thrill-seeker, and later on that year was involved in a motorcycle accident. Thats good news. Most Olympic champions will tell you that self-belief is key to being the best in the world. Castranuova says she thought Rulon would win the whole competition and was shocked when he left. American Olympian who competed in the 2000 Olympic games in Greco-Roman wrestling, winning a gold medal in the 130 kg weight class. At points, there were times I thought, You know what, just give up. But despite being the most recognizable face in the gym, one of the most eventful parts of his day is when a tournament official informs him that he has to wear his credential. There are two lightweights and two heavyweights, making for convenient practice partners. Welcome back, a man on the waitstaff said, as Rulon made his way to a table. As a result, all of Gardners Olympic memorabilia and some of his vehicles were auctioned off. Gardner attended junior college at Ricks College (now BYU-Idaho) in Rexburg, Idaho, and as a sophomore won the NJCAA national heavyweight wrestling championship. At this time, Im asking to leave The Biggest Loser for a personal reason. And that was it. 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. In the second period, Traycee connects on a headlock and sends his opponent to his back. After an FBI investigation, she pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering and was sentenced to 34 months in prison. Karelin at the time had not had a point scored on him in 6 years and . And he was searching for that mindset again. 2 immediately begins. You cant sit and dwell on it. [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. Karelin was previously unbeaten for 13 years in international competition. 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 . @5PtMove. , money, salary, income, and assets. Even though it was one of the things that almost killed me, it was truly amazing. Rulon Gardner Won't Die: Directed by Adam Irving. He closes his eyes and puts a hand over his heart. 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. These are always fun crowds, Gardner says quietly. "To be realistic, I didn't think I could actually beat him," Gardner, age 29 at the time, told the media afterward. The men swam an hour in 44F (7C) water to reach shore, and then spent the night without shelter. rulon gardner first wifecopper infused socks side effects. That's all because of Rulon, right there, he said. Rulons ascendance was a once-in-a-generation confluence of natural strength, work ethic and a burning desire to get off the farm. He is the youngest of nine children who were raised by Reed and Virginia Gardner on a dairy farm where there was plenty of work--from milking cows to feeding calves to chopping grain--to keep everyone in the large Mormon family busy. 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. Regain my work ethic. [20], Gardner served as an analyst for NBC Sports coverage of Wrestling at the 2008 Summer Olympics. [5], In 2012, Gardner and his wife Kami filed for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy in a Salt Lake City Federal court, with $2.9 million in liabilities. Rulon is sentimental. After graduating from the University of Nebraska, Rulon continued his Olympic wrestling pursuit with full-time dedication. None of the three sustained life-threatening injuries. I dont feel good about it. John Daley Reporting Olympic gold medalist Rulon Gardner heads to Boston today for a speaking engagement with a new story of survival to tell. Thats the stark reality. Rulon Gardner is a Wrestler, zodiac sign: Leo. The arena staff rolls up six mats, leaving two in the center of the gym, one for the 5A championships and one for 6A. But I got the point.". 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. While the COVID-19 pandemic has shut down life for so many in the country, Rulon has kept moving. Rulon Gardner. weight class at the 1993 NCAA Championships, earning All-American honors. He and Justin were the heaviest team on the ranch. And Rulon is thrust into the same conversation hes had with countless strangers over the last 20 years. In 2010, Rulon was inducted as a Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. Rulon Ellis Gardner (born August 16, 1971) is an American retired Greco-Roman Olympic Gold Medalist wrestler. In 2002, two years after his Olympic triumph, he was involved in a snowmobile accident. Im happy.. 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. Gardner spent hours working on his familys 250-acre dairy farm in Wyoming. He also has licensing deals, as well as print and television endorsements. [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. Gardner won a bronze medal at the 2004 Games. DETAILS BELOW Rulon Gardner (born August 16, 1971) is famous for being wrestler. Gardner is strong enough to handle the steering wheel with two thick fingers and a thumb. [10][11] He told his story on a first-season episode of I Survived. On February 24, 2007,[12] Gardner and two other men survived a crash when a light aircraft he was traveling in crashed into Lake Powell, Utah. 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. Herrimans lightest wrestler, Jack Lounsbury, is up first. They share a big hug and run into the tunnel, into the basement level of the arena, to go celebrate. 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. 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. At the time, Rulon and his then wife were operating a gym in Logan, Utah, and Justin was an investor. WyoHistory.org welcomes the support of the following sponsors. They dont need him there. "So I asked myself, 'Why am I doing this?' Since making Olympic history in 2000, the wrestler has battled his share of adversity. His great-great-grandfather Archibald Gardner was a bishop in the church and helped build the famed Salt Lake Temple. Both lightweights who qualified for States credit Rulon for helping them with the mental aspect of the sport. I make a lot of excuses for myself. Curbs can be trouble if hes not watching his landing spot. To February Rulon said, fighting back tears as he stood shirtless, his! 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