Rulon Gardner: Hometown hero

Rulon Gardner homecoming photo gallery

Archives: The Rulon Gardner Story

AFTON, Wyo. — It is 11:12 Thursday morning, and a cadre of flashing lights from Star Valley emergency vehicles awaits America's newest larger-than-life cuddly toy.

Rulon the Pooh.

Since whipping previously unbeaten Alexander Karelin for the Greco-Roman wrestling Olympic gold medal in Sydney, Gardner has had a paw in the honey pot of celebrity. He's schmoozed with Leno and Letterman, refereed Diane Sawyer grappling on Good Morning America, playfully roughhoused with Utah's guv, Mike Leavitt, received verbal and actual pats on the back from every Tom, Dick and Clinton and generally slaked a nation's thirst for an authentic, just-folks hero.

He is America's teddy bear.

But now he was in for the real royal treatment, a lifetime dream for a kid growing up in the dairy farms of western Wyoming.

"Everyone who wins a state championship — wrestling, debate, music — gets an escort into town," said patrolman Fred Putnam of the Afton Police Department. "Guess that applies to an Olympic champ, too, huh?"

Eleven emergency vehicles sit off U.S. 89, 10 miles south of Afton.

Which will Rulon ride?

"Any one he wants. Who's gonna tell him no?" said Richard Gardner, Rulon's cousin and Afton Volunteer Fire Department chief.

The valley is spoon-feeding the reception committee with cornflake-sized snow.

"You want sunshine, go to Miami. Wyoming means snow. This is just right for Rulon," Richard Gardner says.

That seems so as Rulon and wife Stacy arrive from a friend's log cabin, where they spent the night.

"Perfect, man," said Rulon. "Wyoming. I can't believe I'm actually home after all that's happened."

A red rose is pinned to the front of his USA Olympic team warm-up.

Choosing pumper No. 7 for the grand ride, Rulon climbs aboard.

Nearing the Afton family farm of his parents, Reed and Virginia, Rulon laughs as he blares over the pumper's loudspeaker. "OK, nothing to see, move along, please."

According to plan, he transfers to a 160-horse Case tractor belonging to brother Rollin.