Mere minutes separated Olympic gold medalist Gary Hall Jr. seeing the Palisades Fire break out and escaping his home, he said.

Wildfires are raging across Southern California and are causing many residents to face devastating losses, including Olympic champion swimmer Gary Hall Jr. The 10-time Olympic champion, who grew up in Arizona,

Gary Hall Jr. said he fled his house in Pacific Palisades with the shoes on his feet and left everything, including his Olympic medals, behind.

When Gary Hall Jr. saw the flames of the Palisades fire rapidly approaching, he grabbed his dog Puddle, a few family mementos, his insulin and left everything else behind – including five gold, three silver and two bronze Olympic medals that he had tucked away in a closet.

“Currently the full focus must be on the fight against the fires and the protection of the people and property. We have also learned that a great Olympian, Gary Hall Jr., has lost his medals in the fire. The IOC will provide him with replicas.”

KTAR’s Community Spotlight this month focuses on Morris Hall and its commitment to supporting the Make-A-Wish Foundation in Arizona.

Ex-U.S. Olympic swimmer Gary Hall Jr. fled his Pacific Palisades home with his dog and three other items. He was unable to go back for his 10 medals, which were lost in the fire.

Ten-time Olympic medalist Gary Hall Jr. describes "mayhem" that destroyed his California home and all his swimming memorabilia.

The LA fires had former gold medal U.S. Olympic swimmer Gary Hall Jr. feeling as if he were in a horror movie as he lost almost everything everything he owns, including his home and 10 Olympics medals.

including Olympic champion swimmer Gary Hall Jr. The 10-time Olympic champion, who grew up in Arizona, had all of his possessions, including his 10 Olympic medals, destroyed in a house he was ...