Greg Louganis, widely regarded as one of the greatest divers in Olympic history, has embarked on a bold new chapter in his life at the age of 65. The five-time Olympic medalist recently announced his relocation to Panama, a move that required him to sell his California home and auction three of his prized Olympic medals for a staggering $437,000.
This decision, driven by financial necessity and a desire for self-discovery, marks a significant transition for the diving icon, whose career and personal journey have inspired millions. Louganis’s move to Panama is not just a change of scenery but a profound step toward redefining his identity beyond his athletic achievements.
A Storied Career and a Life of Resilience
Greg Louganis’s name is synonymous with diving excellence. Born on January 29, 1960, in San Diego, California, to teenage parents who placed him for adoption at eight months old, Louganis was raised by his adoptive parents, Frances and Peter Louganis, in El Cajon, California. His early training in dance, tumbling, and acrobatics laid the foundation for his graceful diving style, earning him the nickname “poetry in motion.”
At just 16, he made his Olympic debut at the 1976 Montreal Games, securing a silver medal in the 10-meter platform event. Despite the U.S. boycott of the 1980 Moscow Olympics, where he was favored to win gold, Louganis’s career soared in the 1980s. He made history at the 1982 World Championships as the first diver to receive a perfect score of 10 from all seven judges in an international competition.
Louganis’s Olympic triumphs came in 1984 at the Los Angeles Games, where he won gold in both the 3-meter springboard and 10-meter platform events with record-breaking scores. His dominance continued at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, where he overcame a dramatic head injury during the springboard preliminaries to win both events, becoming the first male diver to sweep the diving events in consecutive Olympic Games.
His career accolades include five Olympic medals (four golds and one silver), five world championship titles, and 47 national titles, cementing his legacy as the greatest diver in history. Beyond the pool, Louganis has been a trailblazer as an LGBTQ+ advocate, coming out as gay in 1994 and revealing his HIV-positive diagnosis in 1995, a time when stigma surrounded both. His 1995 autobiography, Breaking the Surface, detailed his struggles with domestic abuse, depression, and addiction, spending five weeks at number one on The New York Times Best Seller list.
Despite his monumental achievements, Louganis faced financial challenges, exacerbated by a lack of commercial endorsements, which he attributed in part to homophobia. In a 2024 interview, he noted that his HIV diagnosis, which cost him $100,000 annually in treatment, further strained his finances, as he initially believed he had no future. These challenges set the stage for his recent decision to sell his medals and home, a move driven by both necessity and a desire to shed the weight of his past.
The Emotional Weight of Selling Olympic Medals
In a poignant Facebook post on August 29, 2025, Louganis announced that he had auctioned three of his Olympic medals—two golds from the 1984 and 1988 Games and a silver from 1976—for a combined $437,000. The 1984 gold sold for $199,301, the 1988 gold for $201,314, and the 1976 silver for $30,250, far exceeding the initial estimate of $80,000. Louganis candidly admitted, “I told the truth; I needed the money.” He reflected that with better financial management, he might not have faced such circumstances, but added, “What is done is done; live and learn.”
The auction, held in July 2025, also included other items from his career, such as a U.S. Olympic flag and a Speedo, with proceeds partly supporting an HIV/AIDS service organization he has long championed. The decision to part with his medals was not made lightly. These artifacts represented the pinnacle of Louganis’s career, each tied to moments of triumph and resilience.
The 1988 Seoul Games, in particular, were marked by adversity: six months before the competition, Louganis was diagnosed with HIV, and during the springboard preliminaries, he suffered a concussion after hitting his head on the diving board. Despite these challenges, he delivered a near-perfect dive to secure gold, followed by a flawless execution of the “Dive of Death” in the 10-meter platform finals, a dive that had claimed a diver’s life in 1983. Selling these medals, symbols of his courage and legacy, was a pragmatic yet emotional choice.
Louganis noted that while others might sell businesses for profit, his medals were his most valuable assets, and he expressed gratitude for having them to sell. Louganis’s decision was also influenced by the resilience of friends who lost everything in the Woolsey and Palisades wildfires in California. Inspired by their ability to start anew, he chose to let go of possessions, including his California home, which he sold to a family he felt would cherish it.
“I thanked and blessed the house to bring joy, love, peace, happiness, and a sense of safety to those who entered,” he wrote. This act of release reflects Louganis’s desire to travel light as he embarks on his new life in Panama, embracing simplicity and openness to new possibilities.
A New Chapter in Panama: Seeking Self-Discovery
Louganis’s move to Panama, announced in a video posted on Instagram on August 30, 2025, is a quest for self-discovery. Now settled in Panama City, with plans to relocate to the western town of David, Louganis expressed a desire to redefine himself outside the shadow of his athletic achievements. “Now I get to discover who is Greg Louganis? Without the distraction and noise from outside,” he wrote.
This introspective goal is particularly poignant given his struggles with mental health. In an Instagram Live session, Louganis revealed that during the 2024 Paris Olympics, he battled severe depression and suicidal thoughts, feeling isolated and questioning his purpose. “I didn’t want to be on this earth,” he shared, but added that he now recognizes he has “things to offer” and is committed to “recalibrating” his life.
Panama represents a fresh start for Louganis, a place where he can nurture his human spirit and embrace life’s highs and lows. He cited practical considerations, such as import taxes and road conditions, that led him to sell his car and other belongings rather than ship them.
His mother’s advice, “Make everywhere you go better because you were there,” guides his approach to this new chapter. Louganis’s move aligns with a broader trend of celebrities seeking quieter lives abroad, though his motivations appear more philosophical than political, unlike some peers who cited the U.S. political climate as a reason for leaving.
Despite stepping away from his past, Louganis is not retiring from public life. In August 2025, he signed with Innovative Artists Entertainment to pursue opportunities in TV hosting, endorsements, public speaking, and podcast development. His advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights, HIV/AIDS awareness, and mental health continues to shape his legacy. Louganis’s relocation to Panama is a bold act of reinvention, reflecting his courage to let go of tangible symbols of success to pursue a more authentic future.
As he wrote, “My goal is to live it! Discover, allow, and nurture that human spirit through the experiences of life.” Greg Louganis’s journey to Panama is a testament to the human capacity for change. At 65, after a career defined by unparalleled athletic success and personal triumphs over adversity, he is choosing to redefine himself on his own terms.
The sale of his medals and home, while driven by financial need, symbolizes a deeper detachment from past identities, allowing him to embrace new possibilities. His story encourages reflection on what we are willing to leave behind to pursue a more meaningful life. As Louganis settles into Panama, his legacy as a diver, advocate, and resilient individual continues to inspire, reminding us that reinvention is possible at any stage of life.