The National Wrestling Hall of Fame was saddened to learn that Larry Gibson, who received the Medal of Courage award from the Hall of Fame in 2009 and from the Washington Chapter of the Hall of Fame in 1995, has passed away. 

A celebration of life will be held April 22, 2023 at 11 a.m. at the Omak High School Gymnasium in Omak, Washington. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to your local wrestling team, hospice or fire department/EMT. 

“Larry had a great passion for the sport of wrestling and how it could be used to transform lives. He personally demonstrated that in his own life and in the many lives he helped transform through his work in wrestling and sport,” said Lee Roy Smith, Executive Director of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. “On behalf of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Board of Governors and staff, I want to extend our sincerest sympathies to Larry’s wife, Karol, his family and all of those in wrestling who he impacted.” 

When he was 12 years old, Gibson was walking down the side of a road in Portland, Oregon, when he was struck by a drunk driver. He spent almost two years in the hospital and 13 surgeries later, his leg was amputated seven inches below the knee. His life was changed forever. 

Doctors told him that his athletic career was over, but Gibson refused to believe them without finding out for himself. He participated not only in wrestling, but also as a defensive end and kicker on his high school football team. He continued with both sports in college, earning four wrestling letters and serving as team captain for two years at George Fox College in Oregon. 

After graduating in 1970 with degrees in sociology and psychology, Gibson began working for the Department of Social and Health Services in Omak and Spokane, Washington. He worked with mentally challenged youngsters and volunteered as a wrestling coach wherever he lived. 

In 1973, he was on a small plane that crashed high over a mountain pass in Washington. As he and his fellow passengers trudged through waist-high snow hampered by his seriously damaged artificial leg and their broken bones, he made up his mind that upon rescue he was going back to school to become an educator. 

For 21 years, from 1976-1997, he taught history and coached wrestling at Omak High School where he coached multiple state champions. He also coached at the Omak Middle School from 1984-1990 and again from 1991-92, winning eight district championships. Gibson was voted Washington's Coach of the Year in 1991.  

He coached and directed the Open Team for USA Wrestling from 1979 to 1993 and took teams to Hungary, Japan, Russia, Dominican Republic, France, East Germany, China-Mongolia. He received his USA Wrestling Gold Level Coaches Certificate in 1997. 

He was inducted into the George Fox University Hall of Fame in 2011. 

Gibson used his life experiences to become a nationally known motivational speaker, preaching a message of positive attitude, perseverance and putting as much living into each day as possible.