Calvin Harrison homeless (again)

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Gold Medal Olympian Now Homeless
By CATHERINE GARCIA
Updated 9:22 PM PST, Thu, Dec 10, 2009

AP
Calvin Harrison lived the Olympic dream, until it fell apart.

“The athletes, the stadium, the cameras, the lights, the flashes – it was bigger than life and it was just really overwhelming,” Harrison said.

Competing alongside his twin brother, Alvin, at the 2000 games in Sydney, Australia, Harrison ran the third leg of the 4x400 meter relay, eventually handing the baton off to Michael Johnson for the gold.

“Giving him the stick and him going on to win a gold medal – for us it was awesome,” Harrison said.

The brothers had it tough growing up, and at one point while they were competing they were living out of their car. But in his rags-to-riches story, Calvin Harrison wrote a book, met celebrities and started a family.

“Well, things took a turn in 2004,” Harrison said. "I was suspended from track and field for two years … (edited)

Harrison still insists the substance was not on the banned list. He spent everything he had in an unsuccessful fight against the charge.

“Everything just unraveled,” Harrison said. “I had debts to pay, credit cards to pay off and all these bills.”

So Harrison moved around the country, trying work in construction for awhile.

“It’s like I was just wandering, like my soul was lost without my track and field,” Harrison said.

And then in 2008, Olympic relay team … (edited) gave back their medals. Harrison, though, kept his and gave it to his father.

“Things were bad, but then they got worse,” Harrison said.

Next, Harrison lost his job as a personal trainer in Arizona.

“Of course, you know, in this economic recession, you lose your job, you can’t pay rent,” Harrison said. “You can’t pay rent, you get an eviction notice.”

Harrison said he had just enough money to come to San Diego to try a fresh start.

“The plan was for me to find a job, but it didn’t happen so easily,” Harrison said. “At that time, we didn’t have any more funds, so we were homeless.”

At the lowest point, Harrison wandered the streets at night alone, because only his wife, Charlotte, and four kids, including Highley, who is now 5 months old, were allowed to stay at the San Diego Rescue Mission. Now they’re staying at the YWCA Cortez Hill shelter as a family and, despite it all, trying to stay positive.

“I’m just hoping for an awesome job and to be able to get a house,” Charlotte said. “I know it’s big hopes, but we’re just dreaming of a house and a place for our kids to grow up in.”

Now the man who once wore a gold medal says that because of his family, he’s willing to set aside his pride and let others help him get back to better days again.

“I’m in a position now where I do need to ask, and I’m not afraid of the pride being in the way,” Harrison said. “Before I was. I didn’t want to ask, wanted to do it on my own, but I’m in a position now where I do need some help.”

To help the Harrison family, call the YWCA at 619-239-0355 and ask for extension 218

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Wow. Sad. Why doesnt he move to orlando with his brother? It may be time to swollow his pride and work at mickey dees and train people after work.

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Sad story.

I remember watching them at the 1993 Outdoor Junior Nationals.

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i remember mark witherspoon telling me theres more to track and field…thank god for listening to him because athletes put everything into the one basket.its the nature of elite level and cannot be helped

i wouldn#t like to see this happen to anyone

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Yea It seems like they dont know how to do anything else but run. Did they learn nothing in college?

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You know its not always that easy chris6878. It’s not simply knowing how to do other things but more about someone loving something so much they kinda loose sight of all else and the only thing that has been there for him his whole life is now gone plus he goes from what…six figures to being in debt up to his ears, and having his whole world took from him and all he knows suddenly stripped. But as it seems obvious he holds his family in the same hi regards as he did track, so that is going for him, so i wish him the best and am truly sorry I’m not capable of helping his situation I can only say God bless him. And so in parting i want to say some words of wisdom–how dare you talk about the splinter in your brothers eye when you have a log in yours–

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Yea I met one of these guys. He came to my place of residence and trained with my old coach for a short time.

Also, being that I lived in California myself, all I can say is that California is the WORSE state to live in if you have little money. I mean, it does have it’s advantages like good weather all year around but the cost of living is just sky high.

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Exactly, good post!! I know all about this because I’m in the same boat, I mean, for the past 10 years I have trained and studied to be a sportsman WITHOUT getting paid! To make matters worse, my path was long because the whole time I was doing everything WRONG. I was never exposed to Charlies methods (or anybody that is comparable) to obtain better results more quickly.

So what I’m saying is, I wish I knew what I know now, in 1999, that way by 2005 I would have known for sure if I had enough talent or not. Or in other words, it’s like for the past few years I have been trying to build a house with no tools.

Regardless, I’m very grateful to it (track) because I’m super healthy and I know all kinds of ways to stay healthy meanwhile people around me look so sick and are dieing from preventable diseases.

Also, I did luck out and picked up a trade along the way so I will be ok. In fact, that’s what the twins need to do, they need to learn a trade (auto detailing, house cleaning, painting, window cleaning, dog walking, 80’ popcorn ceiling removal, Barber, pop scooper-yea, they make $).

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Like I said on my other post, collage today really does not teach you anything but how to fill out resumes. People today need to learn how to start businesses out of their own homes. One should never be so reliant on 1 person or 1 company to give you a job that your whole family depends on.

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I wish i knew about money like i do now, back when i was like 17. I would have bought a house when i was 18/19 and just rented it out for the next 10yrs.
Then, when i was finnished traveling around the country, i could either, A - move into a cheap as house or B - Use the Massive amount of equity i would have gained to buy a house someplace else or C - Sell up and buy elsewhere with a massive Deposit.

however, D. occurred, i just spent cash on whatever, like cars, motorbikes and Rent. 10yrs later, i had $0 to my name, no cash saved, no assets, and struggled like hell to save for a deposit for a house that is now 5 X the price it was 10yrs ago.

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Yall making alot of excuses for him. I understand that things happen, but he has a family. Once he got married it and had children its time to put that dream on the backburner. Your family comes first. Like I said before his brother lives and works in orlando. Why are you in california making less than 30k a year. Cali is not the state for low income. He can get the same training weather in florida. ONce he got caught he should have sucked it up and got a job, not waste his money fighting the case. Getting caught is the chance you take when you play that game. This is his fault. Maybe he didnt have the right people telling him the correct actions to take, but you have to think for yourself. Family first everything else is secondary. Shit I see tony dee’s everyday training people in the gym and ripping dumb athletes off everyday as a coach. lol Im sure calvin can do that (unless he is a good coach).

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Wow Chris, such compassion. I feel very sad for the bloke. He’s made a few bad choices, but gee, haven’t we all?

He’s no deadbeat who has lefy a family behind…He’s desperate to try and resurrect his situation - good luck to him, love to hear that in a few years time Calvin Harrison is working somewhere, making an honest living and enjoying quality time with his family & kids.