Local Olympian Michael Grady reflects on life after winning gold in Paris

PITTSBURGH — Nearly five months after gold, that life-changing moment is settling in for Michael Grady.

“I think it’s something I can carry into all aspects of my life going forward. I don’t want to just be an Olympic gold medalist,” Michael said. “Carry that to the other aspects of my life. My career, my family life, and just trying to achieve that same level of fulfillment in every aspect of my life. It’s an addiction to the fulfilment.”

For his family, with the mementos now stored carefully in their Bradford Woods home, the emotions at times still feel fresh.

“It was everything you can possibly dream of and then some,” Tracy Grady, Michael’s mother, said. “To see it actually happen, I was like knees were buckling. Just kind of numb. It still hits me.”

“I wake up, I’m like Michael won a gold medal. An Olympic gold medal. Yeah, that did really happen,” John Grady, Michael’s father, said.

Since then - life hasn’t exactly slowed down for Grady and his family.

‘I never thought I would meet the people I’ve met. I would have never thought I would be doing the traveling that I’m doing,” Michael said.

In the weeks after Paris, Grady got married, was the best man in his brother’s wedding and was named U.S. Rowing’s male athlete of the year.

He’s also been recognized at Steelers and Penguins games.

“It’s hard to say that I’ve had a bad day and I feel like I’m extremely lucky and privileged to say that,” Michael said.

Now he’s sharing his rowing expertise as assistant coach at the University of Washington, one of the strongest programs in the country.

“Helping people that are also on their way to want to be a part of the next generation of Olympic rowing athletes. It’s really cool to get to work with the guys and understand their thought process and be able to give them my thought process and how I approach everything,” Michael said.

Putting the same amount of heart that it took him to win a gold medal into helping others perhaps one day do the same.

“Right now I get to search for that fulfillment through others and help them fulfill their goals. So I think that’s really special in being to help them,” Michael said.

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