Honestly, when you think of the 2016 "Final Five" dominating the Rio Olympics, your mind probably jumps straight to those gravity-defying vaults or the sheer poise on the balance beam. But for Laurie Hernandez, the spark for all that gold and silver didn’t start in a high-tech Olympic training center. It started in the Garden State.
Laurie Hernandez was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey, on June 9, 2000.
If you're looking for a specific hometown, she grew up in Old Bridge Township, New Jersey. That's where the real story lives. It’s funny how we often see these athletes as finished products on our TV screens, but their hometowns usually shape every bit of that "Human Emoji" personality we grew to love.
The Early Days in New Brunswick and Old Bridge
While New Brunswick is officially her birthplace, Old Bridge is where the magic (and the many, many hours of practice) actually happened. Born to Wanda and Anthony Hernandez, Laurie was the youngest of three. Her parents actually started her out in ballet, which sounds like a classic "active kid" move.
Basically, she got bored.
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By the age of five, she was done with the slow pace of ballet and wanted to fly. Her parents signed her up for gymnastics classes in Old Bridge in 2005, and the rest is literally history. She attended Abeka Academy High School—a distance-learning program—which allowed her to balance the insane demands of elite training with her studies.
Why Her Birthplace Matters for History
You've probably heard that Laurie is a trailblazer, but the "where" and "who" behind her birth make that even more impressive. As a second-generation American of Puerto Rican descent, she became the first U.S.-born Latina to make the U.S. women’s Olympic gymnastics team since 1984.
She often talks about carrying Puerto Rico on her back, even though she’s a Jersey girl through and through. It’s a cool mix of cultures that really resonated with fans during her rise to fame.
From New Jersey to Rio (and Beyond)
New Jersey is clearly proud of her. In 2018, she was inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame. Not bad for someone who was only 18 at the time!
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Most people know her for the 2016 Olympics, where she grabbed the team gold and an individual silver on the beam. But her journey didn't stop at the gym doors in Old Bridge. She went on to win Dancing with the Stars at just 16 years old—the youngest winner ever at that point.
Life in 2026: NYU and a New Path
It's 2026 now, and if you're wondering what Laurie is up to these days, she’s traded the chalk for the stage. She officially retired from competitive gymnastics in 2021 and is currently a junior at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts.
She’s living in New York/Brooklyn now, studying drama and acting. You might have caught her doing color commentary for NBC during the 2024 Paris Olympics—people absolutely loved her for being so real and relatable on the mic. She’s also become a big advocate for mental health, working with the Ad Council’s "Love, Your Mind" campaign to help people unlearn perfectionism.
What Most People Get Wrong About Her Career
A common misconception is that she was always "perfect." In reality, her journey involved a lot of grit in those early New Jersey years. She dealt with major injuries in 2014, including a dislocated kneecap and a fractured wrist, that nearly sidelined her before she even hit the senior level.
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Also, despite the rumors of a comeback for every Olympic cycle, she’s been very clear lately that she’s found peace in her "post-gymnast" identity. She’s an author, an actor-in-training, and a UNICEF USA Ambassador.
Actionable Takeaway: Supporting the Next Generation
If Laurie’s story of growing up in Old Bridge inspires you, there are a few ways to keep that energy going:
- Check out her books: She wrote I Got This: To Gold and Beyond and a children’s book called She’s Got This. They are great for young athletes facing those "I want to quit" moments.
- Follow her current journey: Keep an eye on her acting projects. She’s been very open about the transition from sports to the arts on her social media.
- Look into local New Jersey sports history: If you're ever in the area, the New Jersey Hall of Fame features plenty of other locals who started small and made it big.
Laurie Hernandez might have been born in a small corner of New Jersey, but she definitely took that "Jersey Strong" attitude to the global stage. It just goes to show that where you start is just the launchpad for where you're going.