It’s never too late in life to take a leap of faith – even for a man who spent his life making many leaps.
Greg Louganis, the American Olympic legend who has been hailed as the greatest diver of all time, is taking the plunge and leaving the U.S. for Panama.
The diving legend, 65, revealed on social media that he sold his Olympic medals and his house to help fund the move, saying that he “needed the money” for the fresh start.
“So, as life moves forward, what are you prepared to leave behind?” Louganis posted on Facebook over the weekend.
“I am 65 years old and I am asking just that. I am no longer who I used to think I was. Not even close to ‘What’ other people or ‘Who’ other people think I am.”
He revealed that he sold three of his five medals – which he won between 1976 and 1988 – including two golds and a silver. The combined return for the cherished hardware came in at US$437,000, a total that he said exceeded his expectations.
“I have auctioned three of my medals, which sold, I believe, because I went against what the ‘experts’ told me last time when I tried the first time,” he wrote.
“I told the truth; I needed the money. While many people may have built businesses and sold them for a profit, I had my medals, which I am grateful for.”
Louganis also offloaded his California home and was thrilled with the buyer.
“The other consideration is the sale of my house. I am VERY happy with whom I sold it to,” he wrote.
“I thanked and blessed the house to bring joy, love, peace, happiness, and a sense of safety to those who entered the house.”
The San Diego native also sold a lot of personal belongings, citing several of his close friends who lost their possessions in California’s deadly wildfires earlier this year.
“I know I am choosing to do this, but their resilience is an inspiration for me to start anew, with an open heart and an open door. Opening up to possibilities,” he continued.
“I realized I often close myself off, shut myself down, and play small for the comfort of others. I don’t think I have realized or given myself credit for what I might be able to accomplish.”
As for his new life in Panama, Louganis said that it will begin a journey of self-discovery.
“Now I get to discover: Who is Greg Louganis? Without the distraction and noise from outside. At least this is my goal, and hey, I may not find that,” he wrote.
“I think I may find it at times, in moments, my goal is to live it! Discover, allow, and nurture that human spirit through the experiences of life.”
Louganis competed for the U.S.A. in three Olympic Games and is the only man to win consecutive titles in springboard and platform diving, doing so in 1984 and 1988. He made his debut in Montreal in 1976, but sat out 1980 due to the U.S. boycott of the Soviet Union-hosted Games.