Jerome Alan Heidenreich (February 4, 1950 – April 18, 2002) was an American competition

swimmer Swimming is an individual or team racing sport that requires the use of one's entire body to move through water. The sport takes place in pools or open water (e.g., in a sea or lake). Competitive swimming is one of the most popular Olympic ...

, Olympic champion, and former world record-holder. He competed at the

1972 Summer Olympics The 1972 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad () and commonly known as Munich 1972 (german: München 1972), was an international multi-sport event held in Munich, West Germany, from 26 August to 11 September 1972. ...

in Munich, Germany, where he received gold medals in the 4×100-meter medley relay, and 4×100-meter freestyle relay. He received a silver medal in 100-meter freestyle, and a bronze medal in 100-meter

butterfly Butterflies are insects in the macrolepidopteran clade Rhopalocera from the Order (biology), order Lepidoptera, which also includes moths. Adult butterflies have large, often brightly coloured wings, and conspicuous, fluttering flight. The ...

. He set six world records during his swimming career, all as a relay team member. Heidenreich was inducted into the

International Swimming Hall of Fame The International Swimming Hall of Fame and Museum (ISHOF) is a history museum and hall of fame, located at One Hall of Fame Drive, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States, operated by private interests and serving as the central point for the stu ...

as an "Honor Swimmer" in 1992. He became a swimming coach in the 1980s. He was married three times. In July 2001, Heidenreich had a mild

stroke A stroke is a medical condition in which poor blood flow to the brain causes cell death. There are two main types of stroke: ischemic, due to lack of blood flow, and hemorrhagic, due to bleeding. Both cause parts of the brain to stop functionin ...

which left him with a degree of paralysis on his left side. On April 18, 2002 he killed himself with an overdose of prescription medicine at his home in Paris, Texas.

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* 1950 births 2002 suicides Drug-related suicides in Texas American male butterfly swimmers American male freestyle swimmers World record setters in swimming Olympic bronze medalists for the United States in swimming Olympic gold medalists for the United States in swimming Olympic silver medalists for the United States in swimming Sportspeople from Tulsa, Oklahoma SMU Mustangs men's swimmers Swimmers at the 1971 Pan American Games Swimmers at the 1972 Summer Olympics Medalists at the 1972 Summer Olympics Pan American Games gold medalists for the United States Pan American Games silver medalists for the United States Pan American Games medalists in swimming Universiade medalists in swimming Universiade silver medalists for the United States Medalists at the 1970 Summer Universiade Medalists at the 1971 Pan American Games {{US-swimming-Olympic-medalist-stub

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