Olympic Swimmer Brendan Hansen Loses Gold Medal, Dignity On Flight

Let’s say you won an Olympic gold medal. None of that silver or bronze stuff, we’re talking about number one gold. You’re taking said medal on a plane with you, and you don’t want it checked in because you’re flying Southwest and, well, they’ll steal that shit. So do you A) give it to the pilot to wear during the flight as a “thanks”, but in reality it because you know it’ll be safe in the cockpit, B) put it up your butt like a drug mule or C) stuff it in the side pocket of your backpack like a roast beef sandwich. Well, if you’re American swimmer Brendan Hansen you pick C and get what you deserve–a lost medal. It happened to him on a flight to Austin coming back from a bachelor party in Philly (no, that doesn’t make understandable), and when he figured it out he did what any 27-year-old guy would do. He called him mommy.

“I don’t have my medal,” the 27-year-old swimmer told his mother by phone. “It’s not in my bag.”

Hansen informed Southwest Airlines, Philadelphia police and USA Swimming. A woman who found the medal on the floor in the back of the plane saw that it was from the relay event and contacted police, Miriam Hansen said.

Police advised her to contact the University of Texas, Hansen’s alma mater, on the belief that any swimming medallist in the area probably was affiliated with the school. The university called Hansen and asked, “Brendan, are you missing something shiny?”

We would’ve said his brain, but we think it has more of a dull sheen than a shine to it.
American swimmer Brendan Hansen reunited with lost gold medal [Canadian Press]
Image [Getty]