Legendary Olympic gold medalist Dr. Sammy Lee, 92, was reunited with his family late Tuesday after having gone missing more than 24 hours prior, his family told NBC4 News.
Lee left his home at 3 p.m. Monday to go swimming at Los Caballeros in Fountain Valley, a routine for the Olympic diver, police said.
Lee suffers from dementia and heart problems. Transactions on his credit card showed Lee bought gasoline Tuesday morning in Mojave and again that evening about 85 miles south in Studio City, detectives said.
He was held at the Pico Rivera Sheriff's Station late Tuesday before several members of his family arrived to drive him home (pictured below). Lee appeared to be in good spirits, smiling and cracking jokes with the news media that descended on the sheriff's station.
Lee stands 4 feet 11 inches tall and weighs about 122 pounds. He was last seen driving a tan 2011 Mercedes 300 with California license plate 2GOLDS.
The first Asian-American to win the top spot at an Olympic podium, Lee won two gold medals for diving in the 1948 London Olympics. He is a retired doctor, educated at University of Southern California.
Anyone with information about his whereabouts was asked to call Detective Ellis at 714-536-5971, or Huntington Beach police at 714-960-8811.
