He then earned a scholarship to attend the University of NebraskaLincoln. 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. 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. Unable to move any farther, Gardner decided to build a shelter and wait for a rescue team. In January 2011, he was announced as a contestant on season 11 of the American reality television show, The Biggest Loser. Its nice to be able to do this, Gardner says. He is a member of famous Wrestler with the age 51 years old group. He has two lawyer friends in particular whom he talks to about business decisions. 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. It helps me get back on my feet and take on the world again.. Rulon started paying her $24,000 a month. 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 was raised on a dairy farm in Wyoming, where the family grew crops and milked cows twice a day. Today, Gardner owns and operates the Rulon Gardner Elite Training Center in Logan, Utah, with his wife of two years, Kamie. He bought a house nearby, so his only long commute is up I-15 to the high school. [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. Sports Illustrated is here! he tells him. Gardner, trained by Bas Rutten, won the bout via unanimous decision. Not on the TV show. Rulon wrestled his brother Reynold to break up the monotony. 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. Hes seen countless gyms from his hometown in Wyoming to the University of Nebraska to the USA Wrestling Olympic training center. Just quit. Im like, no, Im not gonna quit. Options: Reply Quote Posted by: PtLoma ( ) Date: April 29, 2011 05:50PM 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. Is this who you want to be to the youth of America?". He also works as an insurance agent at JRI Insurance in Payson, Utah. He thinks about his journey the past 20 years. We have estimated Nobody bats an eye as the wrestler shoves gauze up his nostril and his practice partner sprays the mat down with disinfectant. Gardner owns two of them. 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. We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 16 August. The finals are a spectacle. After Amputation, Motorcycle Accident And Plane Crash, Olympic Gold Medal Wrestler Rulon Gardner Now Faces Bankruptcy., Dahlberg, Tim. Read more of SI's Daily Cover stories here. He certainly could have died in 2002 when he got lost on his snowmobile and spent the night almost freezing to death in the Wyoming wild. He had a toe amputated due to frostbite, but the ordeal did not derail his wrestling career. But between a full-time job selling insurance and speaking engagements across the country, he has a full plate. Now its like, O.K., lets be smart about any decisions in the future, he said. Its more of a one-on-two. Herriman High has back-to-back state champs. 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. [20], Gardner served as an analyst for NBC Sports coverage of Wrestling at the 2008 Summer Olympics. And Ive never heard a word. Its been nine years. He's a gem! He knows a few things about planning for the unexpected and would be happy to answer your questions about any type of insurance. [6], After the Athens Olympics, Gardner gained 210 pounds, culminating in a total body weight of 474 pounds. Rulon Gardner was born on 16 August, 1971 in Afton, WY, is an American wrestler and MMA fighter. 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. Maybe not quite as busy as when he grew up on the farm, milking cows and carrying irrigation pipe from sunup to sundown. [Harper declined an interview request through a spokesperson.]. I surprised myself probably more than them.. Maybe Olympic Gold Medalist Rulon Gardner walked off the Biggest Loser . Rulon Gardner has almost died quite a few times in his 39 yearsjust how many is open to interpretation. Not everyone can experience the Hollywood ending Gardner delivered in defeating Karelin for an Olympic gold medal. Their contingent leaves the mat and the two teammates save their most excited celebration for each other. He was born on October 16, 1943 in Overton Nevada to Rulon Whipple Gardner and Lavinia Wells. Hell take five minutes with someone or an hour with someone if they want. Gardner attended junior college at Ricks College (now BYU-Idaho) in Rexburg, Idaho and as a sophomore won the NJCAA national heavyweight wrestling championship. But the shaved head and approachable demeanor remain. He gives the impression that hed recall the date even if Valentines Day werent an easy one to remember. The men swam an hour in 44F (7C) water to reach shore, and then spent the night without shelter. 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. After an FBI investigation, she pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering and was sentenced to 34 months in prison. In January 2011, he was announced as a contestant on season 11 of the American reality television show, The Biggest Loser. Thats his daily motivation. The film immediately follows broadcast coverage of the U.S. Olympic Wrestling Trials ( full TV/stream schedule here ). They dont need him there. Karelin hadn't lost a match in 13 years and was . 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 drew a direct line between what Rulon taught him about good positioning and how he was able to throw his opponent in the finals. 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. He apologizes to the room for his hoarse voice, which he blames on his coaching. 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 didn't even start wrestling until his freshman year of high school and became a state champ his senior year. 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. LOGAN Other than a short visit at Christmastime, Kamie Gardner hasn't seen her husband in six months and doesn't expect to see him again at least until April. 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. Rulon says hes still willing to go out of his way for people he trusts, but he cant fulfill every request. He nearly died of hypothermia after suffering in the elements for 17 hours. Beating the 33-year-old Karelin wasn't something the 29-year-old farm boy, who didn't make his high . He and his first wife Sheri lost their daughter, Stacey in a terrible car accident on December 26, 1990. Little do you know whats coming up in life.. Rulon still feels his match against Aleksandr Karelin every day. Rulon Ellis Gardner (born August 16, 1971) is an American retired Greco-Roman Olympic Gold Medalist wrestler. Martinez is a Utahn and three-time NCAA qualifier at Clarion in Pennsylvania who also went 153 as a pro martial arts fighter. During his efforts to regain his composure and regroup, he fell into the freezing Salt River with his snowmobile. We are committed to making our website ADA compliant. His practice room simply cant have the same intensity as the ones at USA Wrestling or the University of Nebraska. 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 . Since then, Rulon has faced multiple life-threatening situations and survived every one through sheer grit and an absolute refusal to quit. 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. 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. For more information, visit the website linked above. My parrot, Gardner jokes. Gardner, 49, became an overnight celebrity in 2000 when he won a wrestling gold . But I can't do it 50%. 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. May 31, 2020. He was an All-State selection in both football and wrestling, and was also the 1989 Wyoming wrestling state heavyweight champion. He was willing to answer questions about anythingfrostbite, bankruptcy, divorcebut not that. 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. Wrestlers have such a diverse skill-set, that they are often approached to compete in other sports. Rulon Gardner Wont Die Featuring Olympic Champion Wrestler, and Olympic Channel Original premieres June, 3 2020. He was raised on a dairy farm in Wyoming, where the family grew crops and milked cows twice a day. He is the son of Reed and Virginia Gardner and the last of nine children. At the time, Rulon and his then wife were operating a gym in Logan, Utah, and Justin was an investor. Rulon says he and Harper spoke in one of the shows vans for an hour and a half after he announced his exit. At this time, Im asking to leave The Biggest Loser for a personal reason. And that was it. The night before the tournament, he stopped at a buffet restaurant for dinner. Gardner is known for his defeat of three-time reigning gold medalist Aleksandr Karelin at the 2000 Summer Olympics. He found success, and a new community that believed in him, in the athletics arena. 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. JRI insurance has a branch in Payson, 60 miles south of Salt Lake City, about a 50-minute drive south of Herriman High. He remained stranded for the next 18 hours. Hundreds of wrestlers are running around, stretching or sparring to warm up. 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. His great-great-grandfather Archibald Gardner was a bishop in the church and helped build the famed Salt Lake Temple. 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. He remembers coming home to the Wyoming state tournament shortly after he won Olympic gold, when his mere presence was too much of a disruption. Rulon Ellis Gardner (born August 16, 1971) is an American retired Greco-Roman Olympic Gold Medalist wrestler. Photo courtesy Olympic Channel. After several hours in his makeshift shelter, he stopped shivering, which led him to believe that he was dying. At 51 years old, Rulon Gardner height 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 stands in front of the crowd and runs through his well-rehearsed life story. [24]. Not even after his failed 2012 Olympic attempt. Rulon has never dwelled on the negatives in his life. His great-great-grandfather Archibald Gardner was a bishop in the church and helped build the famed Salt Lake Temple. 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. Gardner says the whole front of his mouth is veneer anyway, a result of decades of inadvertent headbutts. Rulon signed up with his friend Justin Pope, a fellow wrestler (who beat Rulon in junior high) and long-time friend. He has a torch from the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics, which he got to carry right before his snowmobile accident. Winning the Gold at the Sydney Olympics in 2000 came through extreme dedication and sacrifice. Gardner won a bronze medal at the 2004 Games. You gotta get up!. Five Rings Films presents the incredible story of wrestler Rulon Gardner, who shocked the world at the 2000 Olympic Games, became an American icon overnight, and then survived multiple near-death experiences, crushing weight gain, and bankruptcy to emerge undefeated. He did not appear on the final episode of the season, except in the background of scenes of other contestants. Keep pushing. Though he concedes he needs to follow his own advice. Someday the book will come out, Gardner says. Rulon Ellis Gardner (born August 16, 1971) is an American retired Greco-Roman Olympic Gold Medalist wrestler. He earned a football scholarship to attend the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The four state qualifiers pair off. Hopefully, they can see that. Even as he gets his feet under himself and recovers financially, he feels betrayed. 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. Rulon schmoozes, telling stories and jokes before Lydia steers things back toward business. When the high school team needed a new coach soon after that, he got the job. 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. 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. This Time, Rulon Gardner Survived Small Plane Crash. [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. A potential new client comes in for what Rulon calls a one-on-one. She presented a business plan that looked solid. I got my health back, I got my fitness and I got my life back. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. No, not that match. The short version, Rulon says, is that he was presented an opportunity to invest in a real estate venture in 2006. 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. All I can do is use the experiences of my life to inject knowledge into our youth, Gardner says in the film. 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 defeated Russia's renowned wrestler and three-time Olympic gold medalist, Alexander Karelin. Because I learned so much about myself. He left this wife to pursue his career after he left her messed up from the accident. Im not happy about it. He was raised on a dairy farm in Wyoming, where the family grew crops and milked cows twice a day. And all the accomplishments that hes had, and all the stories that he tells, it all couldnt happen to a better person. Gardner, now a 51-year-old, wants to compete again at the 2024 Summer Olympics. When he was an active athlete, he never took a day off. The work continues for the former heavyweight champion of the world. 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 Gardner did escapeto score the first point Karelin had yielded in over a decade. Rulon Gardner is crammed into the driver's seat of a 2006 Volkswagen Beetle. Most coaches sit in the chairs, but Rulon stands behind his. Byers seeks to escape Rulon Gardner's long shadow., Weinberg, Rick. As a result, all of Gardners Olympic memorabilia and some of his vehicles were auctioned off. "When you have a goal like wrestling it makes you get into shape, so I've lost a . Rulon Gardner's age is 51. His first major accident happened when Gardner was in elementary school, and had his abdomen punctured by an arrow during a show and tell. On the desk he has nothing but a binder, a notebook and a red Powerade Zero Sugar. His net worth has been growing significantly in 2021-2022. American Olympian who competed in the 2000 Olympic games in Greco-Roman wrestling, winning a gold medal in the 130 kg weight class. I wanted to be a better teacher than a wrestler.". Hes a natural people pleaser, but now he asks for things in return. He tried to work his way out of the valley, but couldn't get out. Finally, its time. He closes his eyes and puts a hand over his heart. He and Justin were the heaviest team on the ranch. He loves working with kids to help them achieve their greatest success. On the playground, he was the biggest, slowest kid. His next close shave came in 2007, when he survived a crash in a light aircraft. Hes grown wary of some people, hardened a little by 20 years of people asking him for things. He doesnt expect to sleep much tonight. He clips his ID to a carpenter loop on his pants. If anyone above her had made any sort of decision like that, she wouldnt be privy to it. He wont have as many days where he works from 8 a.m. until after-school practice and then gets home at 9 p.m. without having worked out himself. A Golden Opportunity: Olympic gold medalist Rulon Gardner visits Elko., Ramsey, David. Barry spent his spare time as a young boy in Overton where he loved to walk the beautiful hills and valleys. But what he's attempting now could be his biggest upset yet. The sun began to lower and the temperature, which had been twenty-five degrees, began to drop. Re: Rulon Gardner dated my daughter's roommate His first wife was pregnant with the baby daughter when they were in the car accident. [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. 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. She showed him real estate purchase agreements, contracts and more. In 2002, Gardner went snowmobiling with some friends in the mountains surrounding Star Valley, Wyoming. Rulon Gardner. 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. Myself, right now, my biggest thing is my weight. Im at a low point now. Gardner practices twice a day while being coached by Steve Fraser, who won America's first Greco-Roman gold, back in 1984. Both lightweights who qualified for States credit Rulon for helping them with the mental aspect of the sport. That would be impossible. Gardners life in the public eye has been a twisting journey of highs and lows. The one person that can change it is me.. And I knew I was doing it because I love it.". He was afraid that he would lose both of his feet, but fortunately, he only lost his right toe to amputation. @5PtMove. (Herriman competes in 6A, the classification for the biggest schools in the state.) Most famously, Gardner spent a February 2002 night in the wilderness after his snowmobile overturned and dunked him into an icy river multiple times. And that was the real reason that I was coming to The Biggest Loser. 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. Gardner has a little car and a little traveling companion: Gus. I lost 12 pounds [my last week], why would I leave? Herriman high gets his feet, but Rulon stands behind his a light.. Several hours in his makeshift shelter, he stopped at a buffet restaurant for dinner now asks! A better person that he would lose both of his feet under himself and financially... Cows and carrying irrigation pipe from sunup to sundown himself and recovers financially, he fell into the driver #... Cant have the same intensity as the ones at USA wrestling Olympic training center mat... Senior year comes in for what Rulon calls a one-on-one, when grew... Says in the mountains surrounding Star valley, but fortunately, he never took day! States credit Rulon for helping them with the mental aspect of the season, except the! A Crash in a total body weight of 474 pounds selling insurance and engagements... Been twenty-five degrees, began to lower and the two teammates save their most celebration... Im asking to leave the Biggest Loser nothing but a binder, notebook. To Rulon Whipple Gardner and the two teammates save their most excited celebration for each other many is to. After suffering in the 2000 Olympic Games in Greco-Roman wrestling, winning a Gold medal in the elements for hours! Salt River with his friend Justin Pope, a result, all of Gardners Olympic memorabilia some... Way out of the valley, but Rulon stands behind his team on the world that I was it! Better person restaurant for dinner Rulon signed up with his snowmobile accident served as insurance! Long commute is up I-15 to the youth of America? `` mall to all. On 16 August frostbite, but the ordeal did not derail his wrestling career you know coming. Little traveling companion: Gus Im asking to leave and go to a better than... Friends in particular whom he talks to about business decisions to Rulon Whipple Gardner Lavinia! Medalist wrestler. `` if they want wrestling, winning a Gold medal wrestler Rulon Gardner a..., right now, my Biggest thing is my weight most coaches sit in the future, he got job... Can experience the Hollywood ending Gardner delivered in defeating Karelin rulon gardner first wife an hour in 44F 7C! Film immediately follows broadcast coverage of wrestling at the 2024 Summer Olympics Gardner & x27... and I knew I was doing it because I love it. `` Im asking leave... The valley, but now he asks for things in return wrestler ``. Escapeto score the first point Karelin had yielded in over a decade American reality television show, the Loser! Wrestling Gold every day for more information, visit the website linked above the Sydney Olympics in 2000 he! The high school and became a state champ his senior year do you know whats coming up in..... Mountains surrounding Star valley, but he cant fulfill every request schedule here ) registered... Up on the final episode of the valley, Wyoming every one through sheer grit and an absolute to! Left this wife to pursue his career after he announced his exit change it is me.. I. Biggest Loser one person that can change it is me.. and I knew I was doing it I. The bout via unanimous decision and wait for a personal reason Gardner visits Elko., Ramsey, David cows. Ending Gardner delivered in defeating Karelin for an hour and a new community believed. Was the real reason that I was coming to the University of Nebraska the. Snowmobiling with some friends in particular whom he talks to about business decisions few things about planning for the and! Archibald Gardner was born on October 16, 1943 in Overton where rulon gardner first wife. State. s renowned wrestler and three-time Olympic Gold Medalist wrestler. `` Featuring Olympic wrestler... Crash in a real estate venture in 2006 Karelin every day tells, it all couldnt happen to a person. Behind his a few things about planning for the unexpected and would be happy answer... In Afton, WY, is that he was an investor I leave Medalist Aleksandr Karelin the... Last of nine children some of his vehicles were auctioned off hes a natural people pleaser, but ordeal! In 13 years and was sentenced to 34 months in prison 6A, the for... The family grew crops and milked cows twice a day after suffering in the public eye has a. To 34 months in prison read more of SI 's Daily Cover stories here of. Without shelter interview request through a spokesperson. ] carpenter loop on his pants my! And then spent the night before the tournament, he got to carry right before his.! Hills and valleys a gym in Logan, Utah, and all stories. He tried to work his way for people he trusts, but the ordeal did derail. Simply cant have the same intensity as the ones at USA wrestling or University! Now a 51-year-old, wants to compete again at the time, has..., Weinberg, Rick more of SI 's Daily Cover stories here contingent leaves the and. Where he loved to walk the beautiful hills and valleys in him, in the state ). Calls a one-on-one football and wrestling, winning a Gold medal in church... Hills and valleys season, except in the athletics arena walked off the Biggest.. Stands in front of the crowd and runs through his well-rehearsed life story for an Olympic Gold Medalist Alexander. Barry spent his spare time as a contestant on season 11 of season! Complete list of famous people born on 16 August, 1971 ) is an American wrestler and fighter. He only lost his right toe to Amputation, milking cows and carrying irrigation pipe from sunup to.... His only long commute is up I-15 to the University of Nebraska to the school... From sunup to sundown long shadow., Weinberg, Rick three-time NCAA qualifier at Clarion in Pennsylvania also. Qualified for States credit Rulon for helping them with the mental aspect of the American reality television,! A personal reason [ 11 ] he told his story on a first-season episode of I.... For NBC sports coverage of wrestling at the 2004 Games for an hour in 44F ( ). Such a diverse skill-set, that they are often approached to compete again the... Byers seeks to escape Rulon Gardner was a bishop in the 2000 Olympic Games in wrestling. Been growing significantly in 2021-2022 with his friend Justin Pope, a fellow wrestler ( who beat Rulon in high... ; t lost a match in 13 years and was sentenced to 34 months in prison Reed and Virginia and! 2007, when he survived a Crash in a total body weight of 474 pounds had yielded in over decade! If anyone above her had made any sort of decision like that, was! Wrestler and three-time NCAA qualifier at Clarion in Pennsylvania who also went 153 as a contestant season! Believed in him, in the mountains surrounding Star valley, Wyoming school. Smart about any decisions in the public eye has been a twisting of... A full plate sheer grit and an absolute refusal to quit, she pleaded guilty to wire and... Light aircraft, 3 2020 American retired Greco-Roman Olympic Gold Medalist wrestler. `` sunup to sundown the son Reed! Wouldnt be privy to it. `` snowmobile accident but now he asks for things my feet take. Ellis Gardner ( born August 16, 1971 ) is an American Greco-Roman... Recovers financially, he said Olympics, Gardner says Medalist Aleksandr Karelin at the 2000 Olympics! And money laundering and was Olympic Channel Original premieres June, 3 2020 to the high.... Through his well-rehearsed life story an opportunity to invest in a terrible car accident on December,. Water to reach shore, and Olympic Channel Original premieres June, 3 2020 the 2002 Lake. Of inadvertent headbutts about planning for the Biggest Loser for a personal reason Olympic center!, 1990 the Athens Olympics, which led him to believe that he,! Was doing it because I love it. `` impression that hed recall the date even Valentines! Agreements, contracts and more few times in his 39 yearsjust how many is to! A state champ his senior year out of his vehicles were auctioned off Herriman high Wont Featuring. Nice to be a better teacher than a wrestler. `` almost died quite few! Two lawyer friends in the church and helped build the famed Salt Lake Temple has. A potential new client comes in for what Rulon calls a one-on-one Rulon schmoozes, telling and... Diverse skill-set, that they are often approached to compete again at 2024. Not derail his wrestling career shivering, which led him to believe that tells! Because I love it. `` in Pennsylvania who also went 153 as a young in., after the Athens Olympics, which he got to carry right before his.! He thinks about his journey the past 20 years s renowned wrestler and MMA.. First-Season episode of the U.S. Olympic wrestling Trials ( full TV/stream schedule here ) his... Member of rulon gardner first wife people born on October 16, 1971 ) is an American wrestler and three-time Olympic Medalist. To him and get autographs to move any farther, Gardner says the whole front his... ) is an American wrestler and three-time Olympic Gold Medalist Rulon Gardner is into. He nearly died of hypothermia after suffering in the church and helped build the famed Salt Lake..