OLYMPIC ATHLETE FIGHTS FOR LIFE ONCE AGAIN

Never give up! That is the resounding lesson to be taken from former Olympic wrestler Rulon Gardner's life of passionate perseverance in the midst of impossible odds and near-death experiences, such as last weekend's plane crash that might have taken his life.

Gardner's inspirational win over Russia's Aleksandr Karelin at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney was "one of the greatest upsets in Olympic history," according to New York Times sports writer Lynn Zinser. The match was Karelin's single defeat in a career spanning 13 years. Still, the 2000 Olympic Games proved to be only a taste of the struggles yet to come for Gardner.

In 2002, Gardner was separated from his friends while snowmobiling in Wyoming and was forced to spend the night alone in the wilderness. After being rescued, Gardner had one toe amputated due to frostbite.

In 2004--the same year he won Olympic bronze despite the loss of one toe--Gardner was hit by a car while riding his motorcycle in Colorado.

As of last Saturday, Gardner has one more miraculous survival experience to add to the list. While flying over Utah's Lake Powell to look at a houseboat, the single-engine plane that carried Gardner and two pilots suddenly crashed into the 44-degree water. All three escaped the plane before it sank and made the one-hour swim to shore where they spent the night huddled together before being rescued by a local fisherman.

One of the pilots, Leslie Brooks, was treated for frostbite; no other injuries were sustained.

Since retiring from Olympic competition in 2004, Gardner works as a motivational speaker and wrestling coach. Despite the recent ordeal, he's not been deterred from the pursuit of his pilot's license.

His attitude says it all: "You just take life as it comes to you and do your best."

To read the New York Times article in its entirety, go to Former Olympian Adds A Harrowing Tale To List