How far can you go without letting life knock you down for good? For veteran gymnast Brody Malone, the answer seems to be: as far as the Olympic podium. At the Paris Games earlier this year, Malone and Team USA made history, ending a 16-year medal drought in men’s gymnastics. But behind the triumph lies a story of heartbreak that could’ve derailed his dreams before they even took off.

Malone lost not one, but two mother figures—his biological mom when he was just 12 and his stepmom at 19. Think about it: at 12, just as you’re stepping into your teenage years, and again at 19, right as adulthood begins. How do you even begin to process that kind of loss? Brody, with his characteristic strength and humility, opened up about those heartbreaking moments, sharing a deeply moving story of grief, faith, and the resilience it took to keep going.

Life dealt Brody Malone his toughest blow before he even hit his teenage years

Brody Malone appeared for an interview on December 12 for the Undaunted. Life: A Man’s Podcast, where he talked about how he lost two mothers in a span of a decade. His biological mother, Tracy Malone, died from cancer when he was 12 years old. Naturally, the vicious blow to the guts wasn’t easy to mitigate, but thankfully, his father stepped up to protect his children. “That was definitely one of the hardest times of my life, especially,” confessed the Olympic athlete. But John Malone wouldn’t let the situation wash away the family.

“I really just turned and looked to my dad and was like what’s he doing and what can I do to help. because I mean here he’s lost his everything. his wife, his soulmate, and I mean she was my mom but I really looked to him to see how he would handle it,” Malone said about how his father proved to be resilient in the face of difficulties and tried his best to keep the storms at bay.

“He was honest our family’s rock,” Brody recalled how his dad left his job as a high school agriculture teacher to stay close to his children during the tumultuous times. The Olympian called the decision a “pivotal moment” in the family’s journey and noted, “quitting his job allowed him to spend way more time with us.”

He went on to reveal how his father’s grit helped the family stand firm in the face of adversity and hailed John as “a phenomenal role model,” suggesting that the fans should hear John’s story on the podcast as well. While the gymnastics star’s father did his best to hold the family together, life wasn’t done testing them yet.

More trying times awaited, and this time, Brody witnessed a different side to his father’s grief

Just seven years later, Brody Malone lost his stepmom, this time to a brain aneurysm. John Malone hoped to overcome the hardships of losing his beloved when he met Lynn Johnson, but she passed away when his eldest son was 19 years old. But this time, Brody was older and wiser than the last time and could see how reality can be a menace. “When I was 12, I’m sure he did a really good job of hiding certain things from not just me but the rest of my siblings as well…but when I was 19 and that happened I got to see a more real side of it,” Malone said how his father was coping with things worse than he did after Tracy passed away.

However, John turned to God one more time to give him strength, and Brody Malone never let the physical distance between them—he’d just gone off to college—become a point of concern. Instead, he regularly talked to his dad over the phone as they navigated through the ordeal together once again. “We were all hurting but it really strengthened our relationship, my relationship, with my dad,” the Stanford alum stated. Despite the heartache, Brody Malone kept his focus on his dream of becoming a global icon, refusing to let life’s setbacks steer him off course.

Brody’s journey began at just three years old when his parents enrolled him in gymnastics to channel his boundless energy. It didn’t take long for his natural talent to shine. By 16, he had already snagged bronze at the U.S. National Championships on the horizontal bar, proving he was destined for greatness. From there, he made his way to Stanford, where he dominated the NCAA scene, racking up titles. With his dad’s unwavering support, Brody Malone didn’t just achieve his dream—he soared past it, becoming an Olympic medalist. Talk about inspiring, right? Let us know how Malone’s resilience and determination have left you feeling in the comments below!