Olympic hopeful left heartbroken as beachfront home crumbles into ocean

Olympic hopeful left heartbroken as beachfront home crumbles into ocean The athlete is aiming to compete in her second Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles but has faced unexpected devastation Share Article Share Article Facebook X LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky Email Copy Link Link copied Bookmark Add us as preferred source Comments By Tom Victor 09:41, Sat, Oct 17, 2026 Updated: 09:44, Sat, Oct 17, 2026 A number of homes were destroyed during a hurricane (Image: Getty) Severe weather conditions led to heartbreak for Paris Porter, a sailor with sights set on the 2028 Summer Olympic Games . The Californian coast has been battered this month by Hurricane Rachel and Porter’s home in Long Beach was destroyed. Porter shared news of the devastation in an Instagram post, thanking friends and family for their support as she and her husband RJ deal with the unexpected upheaval to their lives. The 30-year-old had been renting the property as she targeted a spot at the Los Angeles games but has now had to find temporary accommodation at short notice.“You know that house you constantly see half-crumbled in the news, drone shots, and viral posts of the Long Beach Peninsula? Well, that was our home,” Porter wrote on Instagram , along with a broken heart emoji. “Three hurricane swells in six weeks in Southern California? Unheard of… You see, it was a glitch in the system. An ocean front 1 bedroom that had everything we could have ever wanted. As an Olympic sailor aiming for LA2028 I was steps away from my playground (maybe a little too close).” Porter continued: “RJ and I started our life here. We went from engaged to married. We had family 3 blocks away. Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT “We made it a tradition to have Wednesday night dinners with family and friends every week. We watched numerous sunsets and had the view of a lifetime out those windows. Get tournament schedules, scores, players updates and majors news plus selected offers and competitions I would like to receive emails from the Daily Express featuring our latest products, services, offers, and promotions from across the Reach Plc family . Subscribe Invalid email You agree you are 18 or over. We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. You can unsubscribe at any time. More Info . EXPRESS SPORT ON FB! Get all the best sports news and much more on our Facebook page Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT “Although it’s true the Peninsula is home to many multi-million-dollar homes, our little community was far from that, and it was an absolute privilege to have lived there for a year and a half with awesome neighbors. Seeing the destruction, not only to our house but to everyone around us, breaks our hearts. We are renters and can get up and move, but the sense of stability this apartment gave us was everything to me.” Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT Andy Burnham's Olympics dream 'threatened' as Man City crisis strikes PM again Olympic athlete kidnapped and shot by father and son 'wanting a bride' Porter shared the news of the loss of her home (Image: Instagram/parishenken) She attempted to put the heartbreak into perspective, recognising her neighbours have lost “so much more”. In the meantime, Porter’s next focus will be a sporting one, with a chance to seal an Olympic spot if she can produce an impressive performance at next year’s World Sailing Championships in Fortaleza, Brazil. The American competes in the 49er FX (Skiff) category, where the Netherlands took Olympic gold in Paris in 2024. She is listed under her maiden name of Paris Henken on the World Sailing website, with her most recent listed result a seventh-place finish at the San Pedro Olympic Classes Regatta. Porter previously competed at the 2016 Rio Olympics alongside British-born American sailor Helena Scutt. Her brother, Hans Henken, was a bronze medalist in Paris in 2024. Olympic Games 2024 Hurricane Share Article Share Article Facebook X LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky Email Copy Link Link copied Bookmark Add us as preferred source Comments