Dominique Dawes, 1996 Atlanta Olympic champion gymnast and member of the acclaimed Magnificent 7 team, is seeking the internet’s help in a scary and potentially dire situation her family is facing.
Dawes posted a video asking the public’s help to locate her father-in-law, 79 year old, Leonard Hugh Thompson who has been missing since Monday from Winchester, Virginia. His broken down car was located on Tuesday in the Roanoke area. No one has seen or heard from him.
What Dominique Dawes Shared
Law enforcement has been involved.
Dawes said that he has medical issues. One theory is that he was potentially picked up by a truck driver or a Good Samaritan.
She calls him a “kind soul” who may have suffered a health episode that confused him.
Please help my family find my father-in-law. He has been missing for days—-last seen Monday evening in Winchester, Virginia, car left abandoned with a flat tire in Roanoke, Virginia Tuesday early morning. Law-enforcement is suspecting that he was picked up by a trucker. He was… pic.twitter.com/OFHLb3zRGo
— Dominique Dawes (@dominiquedawes) December 20, 2025
Dawes stayed remarkably composed in the video posted on Saturday, five days after her father-in-law was last seen.
Hopefully her fame and social media footprint as well as media outlets picking up the story help her family locate her father-in-law, and he is safe.
PLEASE HELP! My father-in-law is still missing. He was last seen early Tuesday morning. We are now expanding the search to focus on Salem, Va. If you know anyone in the Salem vicinity, please copy and share and tell them to approach him and call 911 immediately if they’ve seen… pic.twitter.com/ERW8TqgHY9
— Dominique Dawes (@dominiquedawes) December 20, 2025
Please look at his picture closely and keep an eye out for him. Share this article with your friends.
If anyone has seen Leonard Thompson, call 911 immediately.
