Dominique Dawes Father-in-Law Was Reported "Critically Missing" Before He Was Found Dead

Olympic gold medalist gymnast Dominique Dawes shared the news on Instagram in December 2025 that her father-in-law, Leonard Thompson, was missing. Days later, authorities reported that his body was found, and Dominique posted on Instagram that she and her family "take comfort in knowing that he is now with our Lord and Savior."

But what happened to Dominique's father-in-law, and what were the circumstances surrounding his disappearance? In the post about locating Leonard's body, the former Olympic gymnast wrote that she and her husband last saw Leonard at a church service, where they told him to "get home safely." Less than a week later, Leonard's body was recovered near Roanoke, in Troutville, Va.

Although Dominique did not share publicly how her father-in-law died, she did explain in social media posts that he was likely experiencing confusion, which led to his disappearance. According to People, Leonard's car was found abandoned with a flat tire. Dominique posted on X (formerly Twitter) that authorities believed Leonard might have been picked up by a truck driver in an effort to help him.

"We believe he has had a health episode and is disoriented and confused," she wrote. "Please call 911. We are desperately in need of your help and need national exposure because we do not know where he is."

WUSA9 News reported that Leonard was named as a "critical missing adult" when the missing persons report was put out. He was 79 years old.

After Leonard's body was found, Dominique shared the news on Instagram. She posted a photo of Leonard with one of her children and wrote on the screen that, although Leonard was finally found, it wasn't in the way the family had hoped. She added, "Rest in peace, Papa T. We are holding onto the memories."

Leonard's daughter, Tara Byrne, told ABC7 News that Leonard was not known to drive far or drive at night, especially on his own. According to Tara, Leonard might have gotten confused while driving in an already unclear mental state. She also noted that he was on medication and a diabetic. Leonard presumably did not have any medication on his person when he went missing.

A number of complications can happen if diabetes is not treated or managed properly, especially in an elderly individual who is already in a confused state. According to Mayo Clinic, both high blood sugar (hyperglycemia) and low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) can lead to a diabetic coma. If the individual doesn't get medical attention, that coma could lead to death. As of now, it's unclear if that's what happened to Dominique's father-in-law.

Dominique married husband Jeff Thompson, Leonard's son, in 2013. Together, they have four children. Judging by social media, both Jeff and Dominique were close to Leonard and he was a big part of their lives before his unexpected death.