Laurie Hernandez

Laurie was a member of the 2016 Olympic team, known as "The Final Five".  She is known for her floor exercise routine where she has been nicknamed the "human emoji" for her outgoing facial expressions and her grace and artistry on the balance beam.  At the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, she took home the Gold medal in the team event and the Silver medal on the balance beam.  After the Olympics, Laurie went on to win the coveted Mirrorball Trophy on "Dancing with the Stars" with her partner Val Chmerkovskiy, and wrote her first book titled "I Got This: To Gold and Beyond", hitting the New York Times Best Sellers list.  

She is a second generation American, as her grandparents are from Puerto Rico, making her the first U.S. born Latina to make the U.S. team since 1984.  Both Laurie's parents, Anthony and Wanda, have roots in Puerto Rico.  They spent time growing up and visiting the island, and brought the culture to their three children (Jelysa, Marcus, and Laurie).  

When not in the gym, Laurie enjoys spending time with her family and golden doodle, Honey.  She travels the country speaking to the next generation about following your dreams; and is a fierce advocate for the importance of Mental Health awareness.

Follow her on her social medial channels below:

Instagram: @lauriehernandez

TikTok: @lauriehernandez_

Twitter:  @lauriehernandez

Facebook:  Laurie Hernandez