USA Fencing

(Colorado Springs, Colo.) – A key member of the staff for the 2016 U.S. Olympic Fencing Team lost his home in the Clayton Fire in Lower Lake, Calif. while he was supporting Team USA in Rio de Janeiro.

Matthew Porter (Lower Lake, Calif.), Team USA’s armorer at both the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games, received news over the weekend that the fire had reached his neighborhood and his wife, Karen Porter, had evacuated the home they had just moved into in between international fencing trips with the team in preparation for the Games.

After assisting the team for more than three weeks in Rio and playing a key role in its four-medal showing at the Games, Porter returned home on Tuesday.

While his wife and dogs escaped the fire, the family lost their home.

“Matthew has been such a crucial part of Team USA and helping our athletes fence at their best around the world and has spent so many years dedicating his time to working with our junior and senior national teams,” said Kate Reisinger (Colorado Springs, Colo.), USA Fencing’s director of sports performance who served on the U.S. Olympic Fencing Team staff as team leader in Rio. “To go through such a loss at a time in which he should be able to enjoy celebrating our team’s success is unimaginable.”

A fund has been established to help the Porter family rebuild from its losses.

In honor of Matthew Porter’s dedication to the U.S. Fencing Teams and his decades of work at our national events, USA Fencing has contributed $2,000 to the fund.

Those interested in making a donation can do so at https://www.gofundme.com/2kg64t5p.

Click here to read more about the Porter family.