By Gigi Duncan
Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Aug 11, 2024 / 07:00 am
Despite winning a bronze medal as part of the United States men’s gymnastics team in the 2024 Paris Olympics, Brody Malone’s father cited his son’s faith life and relationship with Christ as what makes him proudest of the accomplished gymnast.
“Brody is so well-grounded and such an incredible man,” John Malone told CNA. “As a parent, we’re called to raise good, productive people. As a Christian, you’re taught to raise your child as a loving, caring, and kind person, and [Brody] is absolutely the epitome of that. That is him in a nutshell, and that’s what I really want everybody to see.”
Having been in Paris to watch his son compete, Malone and the rest of the world witnessed the United States men’s gymnastics team make history by earning its first team medal at the Olympics since 2008. Along with teammates Stephen Nedoroscik, Frederick Richard, Asher Hong, and Paul Juda, Brody Malone took home the bronze on July 29 behind Japan and China.
“[The team] put in an incredible amount of work, and to see all that hard work come to fruition is just incredible,” John Malone shared. “Especially with my son, I know how hard he’s worked, I know all of the hours he’s put in. You’re talking about practice six days a week and usually five to six hours a day. It was just awesome for them to represent our country and do so well.”
Malone expressed how “incredible” it was to see Brody and all the gymnasts’ “hard work come to fruition” while also acknowledging that his son’s journey to the 2024 Paris Olympics wasn’t an easy one.
Having already faced numerous challenges both within and outside of his athletic career, including the loss of his mother, Tracy, to cancer in 2012, the 24-year-old gymnast suffered a near-career-ending injury a little more than a year ago.
While competing at the DTB Cup in Germany in March 2023, Brody’s hands slipped off the high bar as he went in for his dismount and he landed in an odd position, dislocating his knee.
An MRI weeks later showed that Brody had torn multiple ligaments in his knee and fractured part of his tibia, which resulted in three operations and more than a year of intensive training and rehabilitation, including relearning how to walk.
Many at the time questioned if Brody, who had competed in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics without medaling, would be able to compete again in the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics.
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Describing the moment when he heard of this injury, John Malone shared his initial worry and distress of being so far away from his son when he felt God telling him to “settle down, I’ve got this, I’m doing something.”
“It was probably about 30 minutes later when Brody called me in the ambulance ride to the hospital. We were talking and I said, ‘Buddy, I’ve got peace about this.’ I said, ‘Just let God use it. I don’t know what it is he plans to do, but let him,’” Malone shared. “And he told me that it was crazy, saying he had gotten that exact same feeling.”
“It was pretty incredible to have that, that peace that God put on both of our hearts in that moment. You know, I really do think Brody’s story is a testimony to possibly help others. Brody’s faith life played a huge part in his rehab and recovery,” he said.
Faith from a young age
Brody’s faith life started from an early age, according to Malone, who recalled a moment in which 10-year-old Brody responded to an altar call — an opportunity for people to come to the front of a church during a service and pray for the Lord to come into their life — unprompted.
“Brody made that decision, as it was on his heart at that moment,” Malone shared. “I think kids don’t understand a lot of times what it is they’re doing when they give their life to God, but he was fully aware of it. He’s had that, what God’s put in him from a young age.”
Since then, Brody has continued to practice and share his Christian faith with others, even having started a Bible study with his roommate for younger guys at his EVO Gymnastics gym in Sarasota, Florida.
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“[Brody and his roommate] have the guys over once a week for their Bible study. As a parent, I’m proud — and I try not to use the word proud because I know it can be a pitfall — but that brings me as much joy as him winning a medal,” Malone said. “I’ve had parents text me, and if they see me somewhere, they’re just so grateful really that they’re doing that with their sons. So it’s a proud dad moment, and that means as much as any medal he could win.”
Brody, who as a kid shared a dream with his mother of going to the Olympics, gave thanks to God in an NBC interview after having been officially named as a member of Team USA’s men’s gymnastics back in early July.
“I just have to give all the glory to God. It’s all him, it’s all God,” he said. “I want to thank him for this.”
