Swimming has lost a friend

Tribute to Brent Rutemiller: The sport of swimming has lost a friend

We, the sport of swimming, lost a friend this morning. We lost a leader. We have lost a visionary. I lost a family man. We lost a guy whose life was defined by giving…always giving.

Brent Rutemiller, former editor of Swimming World Magazine and CEO of the International Swimming Hall of Fame, passed away earlier today after battling cancer like no one has ever seen. The deadly disease kept coming for him, but Brent somehow fought to extend his life beyond what the doctors anticipated.

Finally, his fight stopped and he left this world too soon.

Swimming World Managing Editor Dan D’Addona wrote a wonderful obituary this morning, one that details Brent’s vast accomplishments from his days with this publication to his Hall of Fame tenure. For more than four decades, Brent was an influential figure in the sport and that status will never be forgotten.

Because Dan did such a beautiful job with the obituary, I have the opportunity to write from the heart and create a tribute that – I hope – reflects how much Brent meant to others. Quite simply, he was the man who gave me the chance to become an important part of Swimming World and I am deeply grateful for his belief and guidance. It also gave others opportunities.

In 2007, Brent and I traveled to the World Championships in Melbourne. We stayed in an apartment that was a 20 minute walk from the Rod Laver Arena. At the time, Brent was in the early stages of developing Swimming World Radio and the Morning Swim Show. Seventeen years later, I vividly remember the energy with which he spoke as he discussed his ideas, athletes, coaches and the impact of swimming on his life.

See, that’s the thing about Brent. Everything was full of energy. He couldn’t turn back the dial and he was charming. Sure, we argued from time to time (like all classmates), but as we got older it became pretty clear that people like Brent are rare. It’s hard to stay on top 100% of the time – except for people like Brent, who consider that lifestyle to be the norm.

When Brent received his cancer diagnosis and was told of the difficult road ahead, there was no unhappy reaction. Instead, he attacked the disease in the same way that life went – with great gusto. Every time Brent got hit, he used his upbeat attitude to say, “Okay, but I’m going to punch back.” He gathered an army behind him – Rutemiller’s Army. As the days pass, members of that army will fight their own battles, mentored by Brent and exposed to his positivity and resilience.

Brent was supposed to be at the Olympic trials this week. He was excited about the chance to see hundreds of friends and fast action in the pool. Instead, he’ll be looking down at Lucas Oil Stadium, smiling at the fact that the sport has come this far. He would never admit it, since that wasn’t his style.

But Brent Rutemiller played a key role.