Dominique Dawes is opening up about the loss of her father-in-law.
Leonard Hugh Thompson, who had been missing for five days in Virginia and became the subject of a statewide search, was found dead on Saturday (Dec. 20) in Troutville.
“We take comfort in knowing that he is now with our Lord and Savior,” Dawes wrote in a touching Instagram post on Sunday (Dec. 21) featuring Thompson holding one of her four children while mentioning that the search for him didn’t yield the outcome that the family wanted.
“Thank you all for the prayers and support during this very difficult time,” she added. “Our last moment with him was accompanying him at mass and giving him a hug and my husband and I said, “Get home safely”…..Rest in Peace, Papa T.”
One day after Thompson was last seen in Herndon, Virginia, state police issued a “critical missing adult” alert for him after a vehicle registered to him was found abandoned with a flat tire and missing keys in Roanoke on Dec. 16.
Dawes took to social media and pleaded with followers to help her locate Thompson, noting that he had recently suffered a health episode and could have been “disoriented and confused.”
“Law-enforcement is suspecting that he was picked up by a trucker. He was traveling 81 south. If you see him, please approach him.” she wrote on Dec. 20. “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!”
Dawes, a native of Silver Spring, Maryland, is a four-time Olympic medalist and in 1996, became the first Black woman to win an Olympic gold medal in gymnastics when Team USA won the team event in Atlanta. At those same Olympics, Dawes earned a bronze medal in the individual floor exercise.
Over the course of her Olympic career, Dawes earned medals at all three Olympics she competed in, winning bronze in the team event at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics and bronze in the team event at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
She retired from competition after the 2000 Games.
