Two-Time Olympic Medalist

Rulon Gardner won two Olympic medals, gold at the 2000 Sydney Games and bronze at the 2004 Athens Games. His win at the 2000 Summer Olympics came in an upset over three-time Olympic champion Aleksandr Karelin, of Russia. Prior to the gold-medal match, Karelin was undefeated in international competition.

Gardner added to his Olympic-medal collection at the 2004 Athens Games. After losing in the semifinals, the Wyoming native rebounded to earn bronze. After winning the third-place match, an emotional Gardner left his shoes on the mat to signal his retirement.

Accident-Prone

The Olympic champion has been involved in three life-threatening accidents over the past several years.

In February 2002, he was involved in a snowmobile accident that dropped him into a Wyoming lake. Stranded for 17 hours in minus-25 degree temperatures, Gardner suffered from frostbite and needed the middle toe on his right foot amputated.

In March 2004, Gardner -- who wasn't wearing a helmet -- was thrown from his motorcycle. He suffered cuts and bruises.

Most recently, the two-time Olympian survived a small plane crash on Feb. 25. Gardner and two other men were forced to swim in 44-degree water after the plane crashed into a lake.

Farm Boy

Gardner was raised on a Wyoming dairy farm. The youngest of nine children, the wrestler performed daily chores that included changing irrigation pipes, spraying weeds, hauling hay and milking the cows.