“Flames of Misfortune: Olympic Swimmer’s Home Devastated in Palisades Fire”

LOS ANGELES (AZFamily) — Gary Hall Jr., a celebrated swimmer from Arizona and a 10-time Olympic medalist, lost his residence in the Southern California wildfires. His home is among the numerous properties that were consumed by flames in the Pacific Palisades.

“The shock I just went through is something you can never prepare for. There’s simply no way,” he stated.

Hall mentioned that his residence was just a short distance from where the Palisades Fire erupted. He only had mere moments to seize some belongings and escape when the fire ignited.

“As I was heading to my car, burning debris was falling on me,” he recalled.

Hall described the situation as apocalyptic, with homes, structures, and businesses reduced to ash.

“It’s a catastrophe at every level and has devastated so many lives,” he remarked.

Currently, officials report that nearly 180,000 individuals have been evacuated from the Pacific coast to Pasadena.

Hall expressed that as the area continues to burn, he has lost everything and will need to rebuild his life from the ground up.

“I have nothing. Everyone keeps asking, ‘did your Olympic medals burn?’ Yes, they’re gone, along with everything else,” he affirmed.

Hall is related to the family that manages Hubbard Swim Schools throughout the Valley, and his grandfather, financier Charles Keating, was the founder of the Phoenician Resort in Scottsdale.

Gary Hall Jr. was inducted into the Arizona Sports Hall of Fame in 2018 and secured back-to-back gold medals in the men’s 50-meter freestyle at the Sydney Olympics in 2000 and the Athens Olympics in 2004.

He also earned three gold medals while competing as part of Team USA’s relay teams during the ‘96 games in Atlanta. In total, he achieved three silvers and two bronzes throughout his Olympic journey.

Currently, Hall is residing with his sister in Encinitas, California. His sister has initiated a GoFundMe campaign to assist him during this challenging time.

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