NEED TO KNOW
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Dominique Dawes is mourning the death of her father-in-law
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His body was found five days after search efforts began in Virginia
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The Olympic gymnast thanked her followers for their prayers and support during “this very difficult time”
Dominique Dawes is mourning the death of her father-in-law.
The Olympic gymnast, 49, opened up about the loss of her father-in-law Leonard Hugh Thompson on Saturday, Dec. 20, after his body was found in Troutville, Virginia earlier that day.
“We take comfort in knowing that he is now with our Lord and Savior. Thank you all for the prayers and support during this very difficult time,” she wrote on Instagram.
“Our last moment with him was accompanying him at mass and giving him a hug and my husband and I said, ‘Get home safely,’ ” she continued in her post. “Rest in Peace, Papa T.”
The post included a photo of Thompson holding one of her four children, whom she shares with husband Jeff Thompson.
Dominique Dawes/Instagram
Dominique Dawes’ post about her father-in-law’s death
“Rest in Peace, Papa T. We are holding onto the memories. It is with a very heavy heart that I report my father-in-law has been found and not in the way we had hoped for,” Dawes wrote over the photo.
Thompson was missing for five days before his body was found in southern Virginia, WUSA9 reported.
Authorities said a car belonging to 79-year-old Thompson, of Herndon, Virginia, was found abandoned on Interstate 81 near Roanoke with a flat tire and missing keys on Tuesday, Dec. 16.
Raymond Boyd/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty
Dominique Dawes
Dawes had issued a plea for help in finding her father-in-law on social media Saturday before his body was found.
“Please help my family find my father-in-law. He has been missing for days — last seen Monday evening in Winchester, Virginia, car left abandoned with a flat tire in Roanoke, Virginia Tuesday early morning,” she began her post on X.
“Law-enforcement is suspecting that he was picked up by a trucker. He was traveling 81 south. If you see him, please approach him,” continued the athlete, noting, “We believe he has had a health episode and is disoriented and confused. Please call 911.”
She concluded, “We are desperately in need of your help and need national exposure because we do not know where he is. Please share this post and keep my family in your prayers. God Bless!”
© Doug Pensinger / Getty Images Dominique Dawes gymnastics throwback photo.
Dawes, a native of Silver Spring, Md., is a four-time Olympic medalist.
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She became the first Black woman to win Olympic gold in gymnastics when she led the United States to a team title at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. She also won an individual bronze medal in the floor exercises that year, and nabbed her two other bronze medals in the team event at the 1992 Barcelona Games and at the 2000 Sydney Games.
She retired from competitive gymnastics in September 2000.
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