Henry Cejudo Recalls Harrowing Escape From California Wildfires

Henry Cejudo recounted his escape from a hotel amidst the currently-raging California wildfires in a new interview with ESPN. Highlights are below:

On being forced to jump from his second-floor window: “I pulled the curtain on the window, and it felt like daylight. It was so bright. There were houses on fire. The hotel was on fire. I could feel the heat. I saw the lobby was on fire and knew there was a stairwell to get down there. I thought, ‘If I go out into the hallway and lock myself out, then I really am dead.’ There was only one way out.”

On his escape after: “[It] was deserted. I didn’t see one human being. I didn’t see one cat, dog – nothing. The only noise I heard was the fire. As I’m walking up this hill to get a bird’s-eye view of everything, I see two-story mansions on fire. I saw buildings and cars on fire. It was surreal, like a dream. I had no shoes, no time to grab anything but my slacks. I’m walking, barefoot, thinking, ‘Damn, I’m literally in a ring of fire.’”

On leaving his Olympic gold medal behind: “People ask me if I’m sad about it. Nah, I’m happy, bro. It’s weird because that type of adrenaline, you’re scared, but you’re challenged, too. You become courageous in something like that. It’s a crazy feeling knowing you may die.”