The Los Angeles fire left former Olympic swimming gold medalist Gary Hall Jr. feeling like he was in a horror movie after losing nearly everything he owned, including his home and 10 Olympic medals.
“It was worse than any apocalypse movie I've ever seen, and a thousand times worse,” he said. sydney morning herald. “It's all the rage in Los Angeles. We were engulfed in flames. When I jumped in the car, embers were raining down on me. I had time to take the dog and some personal items. It was all It's hard for me…and everything I owned.
Hall Jr., who competed in the 1996, 2000 and 2004 Olympics and won five gold medals, was talking on the phone with his daughter when he saw “smoke rising'' behind his rented house in Tokyo. I noticed,” he told the media. Pacific Palisades section of Los Angeles.
Flames started “breathing out,” explosions occurred and “houses started cracking apart,” he said.
The 50-year-old detailed how the famous Sunset Boulevard became a complete traffic jam.
He has since moved to San Diego with his family. According to a GoFundMe page set up for him. As of 10 a.m. Thursday, more than $15,000 had been raised.
“People were abandoning their cars and running for their lives. Police were telling them to do that,” Hall Jr. told the publication. “My girlfriend was trapped in her car with smoke surrounding her.”
Hall said he not only lost the 10 Olympic medals he won (five gold, three silver and two bronze), but also his world championship medal and other memorabilia from his illustrious career.
Mr. Hall also lost the pool that he personally used to teach his children how to swim. Sea Monkeys Swimming Program.
According to the GoFundMe page, Hall Jr. managed to collect his dog Puddles, insulin, his grandfather's paintings and religious items from his daughter Gigi before leaving the house.
“I also thought about medals. I didn't have time to get them,” Hall Jr. told the Sydney Morning Herald. “What everyone wants to know is, did the medals burn? Yes, they all burned. It's something you can live without. I think it's all just stuff. It's going to take a lot of effort to start over. What can you do?
“You'll have a lot of emotions, especially when you go back to where your house was built. Move through the ashes and see if the medals have melted. Maybe you'll find something worth saving. Probably not. I don't know.
“When you're running for your life, you don't have time to take photos or videos.”
In addition to his gold medal, Hall Jr. won world recognition for his antics, including his famous remark that America would “smash Australia like a guitar” in the 4x100m freestyle before the 2000 Games. He established himself as one of the best swimmers. relay.
In the end, the Australians defeated the runners-up, the Americans.
“It's not just about me. My house and business burned down. It's time to start a new chapter,” Hall told the magazine. “We're lucky to have calm in the midst of chaos. We were told to run for our lives.”
