Who Are Hezly Rivera’s Parents, Heidy Ruiz & Henry Rivera?

Hezly Rivera is Team USA’s youngest gymnast competing in the Paris Olympics. At just 16 years old, this will be Hezly’s first Olympics and her inaugural international competition.

Hailing from Hackensack, New Jersey, Hezly began her journey in gymnastics at the tender age of five. Over the years, she has become a master of the balance beam and uneven bars. Her talent was first noticed at a gymnastics-themed birthday party, where even the coaches were impressed by her natural ability. Henry Rivera, Hezly’s father, recalls, “The coaches approached us and said ‘you got to bring her in.'” He proudly shared, “she made the team on the first audition. That’s very unusual.”

In 2022, the Rivera family relocated to Plano, Texas, to advance Hezly’s gymnastics career. This move allowed Hezly to train under Valeri Liukin, who has coached Olympic champions Gabby Douglas and Nastia Liukin. Watching Hezly compete, Henry Rivera expressed, “It’s the biggest joy in the world.”

Hezly’s mother, Heidy Ruiz, immigrated to the United States from the Dominican Republic. Together with Henry, she is raising three children: Carhelis, Hezly, and Hanly. Heidy has been a strong supporter of Hezly’s gymnastics endeavors.

Hezly is passionate about representing Latin Americans at the Olympics. “I just want to help the community grow. I want Latinas to look up to me and say, ‘I want to be like her when I grow up.’ I want people to see me and say, ‘I want to be like her because she’s Latina,'” Hezly said.

Henry Rivera, originally from Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, attended Union Hill High School in New Jersey after immigrating to the United States. He earned a computer engineering degree from the Stevens Institute of Technology in 2002. As Hezly pursued competitive gymnastics, Henry encouraged her by gifting her Kobe Bryant’s memoir, “The Mamba Mentality: How I Play.” Henry told Hezly to learn from Bryant’s grit and spirit, saying, “If you want something, you go for it.”

When the announcement was made that Hezly Rivera was one of the five female gymnasts chosen to go to the Olympics, Henry was filled with emotion. His tearful reaction quickly went viral, capturing the heartfelt moment. “I couldn’t hold back,” Henry said. “We’re still pinching ourselves.”