Olympic champion reunites with girl who returned stolen medal

ATLANTA — A young girl who found and returned a stolen Olympic gold medal was reunited with its owner Monday morning.

Olympic canoe racer Joe Jacobi won the medal at the 1992 Olympics in Spain. %

%

Somebody broke into his car in June and stole it.

A few weeks later, while out on a walk with her dad, 7-year-old Chloe Smith found the medal in a pile of trash.
Jacobi promised he would visit Chloe's classroom so that everyone would know that she returned his valuable item.

“(Chloe asked), ‘Mom when is Joe coming to school?’ She was very excited. She couldn’t wait,” Chloe’s mother, Charlmonique Smith, said.

RELATED STORIES:

• Olympic gold medal stolen while family eats dinner in Atlanta
• 6-year-old finds Olympian's stolen gold medal

Jacobi went to Woodson Park Academy Monday to show his medal to the group of first-graders and teach them about the Olympics.

Jacobi said he often speaks about character when he meets young children, and Chloe is the perfect example.

“It’s the idea of choosing to do the right thing, and so Chloe, I thank you for good character and doing the right thing. And to her parents and her family, I thank you guys,” Jacobi said.

Jacobi said everyone can learn from Chloe.

“I think sometimes we don’t give a 7-year-old child enough credit for the choices they can make and the influence and power of one choice on an entire community,” he said.

Cox Media Group