Tribute to Brent Rutemiller: As 69th Birthday Nears, Remembering a Friend of the Sport
The following tribute to Brent Rutemiller was published during the summer, following Brent’s death following a courageous battle with cancer. Brent would have turned 69 this Friday, and to remember his legacy and dedication to the sport, we are re-running this piece that focused on his accomplishments and passion.
Every birthday, Brent liked to match his age with the amount of yardage he logged in the pool. So, if you get the chance to dive into a pool on Friday, think about Brent and what he gave to the sport.
FROM THE ARCHIVE (JUNE 17, 2024)
We, the sport of swimming, lost a friend this morning. We lost a leader. We lost a visionary. We lost a family man. We lost a guy whose life was defined by giving…always giving.
Brent Rutemiller, the former publisher of Swimming World Magazine and CEO of the International Swimming Hall of Fame, died earlier today after battling cancer like no one I have ever seen. The deadly disease kept coming for him, but Brent somehow fought to extend his life beyond what the doctors anticipated.
Eventually, his fight ceased, and he left this world too early.
Swimming World Managing Editor Dan D’Addona penned a wonderful obituary this morning, one that detailed Brent’s vast accomplishments from his days with this publication, to his tenure with the Hall of Fame. 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 get the opportunity to write from the heart and craft a tribute that – hopefully – reflects just how much Brent meant to others. Simply, he was the man who gave me a chance to become a major part of Swimming World, and I am deeply thankful for his faith and guidance. He gave others opportunities, too.
In 2007, Brent and I traveled to the World Championships in Melbourne. We stayed in an apartment that was a 20-minute walk from 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 when discussing his ideas, the athletes, the 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 the dial back, and it was charming. Sure, we argued every once in a while (like all colleagues), but as I’ve aged, it has become quite clear that people like Brent are rare. It’s hard to stay full-throttle 100% of the time – except for people like Brent, who find that way of life to be the norm.
When Brent received his cancer diagnosis and was told of the difficult road ahead, there wasn’t any woe-is-me reaction. Instead, he attacked the disease the same way he went about life – with full gusto. Every time Brent was dealt a blow, he used his upbeat attitude to say, “Fine, but I’m going to punch back.” He rallied an army behind him – Rutemiller’s Army. As the days pass by, members of that army will fight their own battles, having been 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 some fast action in the pool. Instead, he’ll be looking down on Lucas Oil Stadium, smiling at the fact that the sport has come so far. He’ll never admit it, since that was not his style.
But Brent Rutemiller played a key role.
