When Gary Hall Jr. saw the flames of the Palisades fire rapidly approaching, he grabbed his dog Puddle, a few family mementos, his insulin and left everything else behind – including five gold, three silver and two bronze Olympic medals that he had tucked away in a closet.

Ex-U.S. Olympic swimmer Gary Hall Jr. fled his Pacific Palisades home with his dog and three other items. He was unable to go back for his 10 medals, which were lost in the fire.

Olympic swimmer Gary Hall Jr. is among thousands of residents who have lost their homes and belongings in the Palisades wildfires that are ravaging Los Angeles. The champion lost all ten of his Olympic medals in the fire.

Former US Olympian Gary Hall Jr. won 10 Olympic medals and six world championship medals in his swimming career. He believes he’s lost them all in the Palisades wildfire, he told CNN’s Erin Burnett.

The International Olympic Committee announced it will replace 10 medals left behind by Gary Hall Jr. as he fled the fires in Los Angeles County. Hall, a type 1 diabetic, only took his dog and insulin when he fled the Palisades Fire last week.

American swimmer Gary Hall Jr. will receive replicas of the 10 Olympic medals he left behind while fleeing the Los Angeles wildfires, the IOC said.

Hall Jr. said he didn’t want to leave the medals behind, but the Pacific Palisades resident had no other choice as his home burned down.

U.S. swimmer Gary Hall Jr. left behind his 10 Olympic medals while fleeing the Los Angeles fires with his dog, Puddles. On Sunday, he learned that they will be replaced. The International Olympic Committee announced in a statement from president Thomas Bach that it will provide new medals to replace those that Hall lost in the fires.

Former U.S. Olympic swimmer Gary Hall Jr. lost his home and 10 Olympic medals in the Los Angeles wildfires last week, and exclusively tells PEOPLE that he's 'touched' the IOC is sending him replicas of the priceless medals.