See Bruce Jenner's Impressive Journey Through the Years
:extract_cover():upscale()/2015/04/10/873/n/1922398/a85f2daa1e174d11_GettyImages_463339591.jpg)
Bruce Jenner has been making headlines his entire life. In the '70s he was in the spotlight for his incredible athletic ability, which led him to win Olympic gold in 1976 and land on the front of Wheaties boxes across America in 1977. In the '80s he took on a different kind of sport as a professional race car driver and tried his hand at acting in numerous television series. By the early '90s Bruce had married his third wife, Kris Kardashian, who would later thrust him back onto TV screens with Keeping Up With the Kardashians' 2007 debut. Now, the man who's been a household name for nearly 40 years is grabbing attention for his transition into a woman.
Bruce finally spoke out about what he's been going through during an honest, inspiring, and eye-opening interview special with Diane Sawyer that aired on April 24. His confirmation that he "is a woman" was met with overwhelming support from his ex-wives, his children, celebrities, and viewers — nearly 17 million of whom tuned in. As Bruce begins the next chapter of his impressive life, let's take a look back at his journey.
1972
Bruce was still studying at Graceland College in Iowa when he went to the Olympics for the first time in 1972, placing 10th in the decathlon. It was that same year he married his first wife, Chrystie Crownover.
1976
He won Olympic gold and set a world record at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, Canada, after graduating from college in 1973.
1978
After his Olympic victory, Bruce accepted speaking offers and endorsements, including with Wheaties.
1981
In the '80s he starred in the movie Can't Stop the Music and had a recurring role on the TV series CHiPs. He divorced his first wife, with whom he had two children, in 1981 and married Linda Thompson days after it was finalized.
1987
Bruce and Linda had split in 1986 after having two sons, Brandon and Brody. That same year, Bruce was inducted into the Olympic Hall of Fame.
1988
At this point, he'd divorced his second wife and his fame was fading. He told People, "I had worked really hard and didn't have much to show for it. But everything turned around the day I met Kris."
1990
Bruce and Kris Kardashian met in 1990 and were married five months later, in April 1991. He became stepfather to Kourtney, Kim, Khloé, and Rob Kardashian.
1993
1994
Together, Kris and Bruce launched a new chapter with Bruce releasing a line of exercise equipment and landing on the cover of American Fitness magazine.
2001
2003
2004
2005
2006
Bruce was a regular on the golf course and often played in charity tournaments including one for the LA Police Department in May 2006.
2006
2007
Keeping Up With the Kardashians premiered in October 2007, catapulting Bruce and his family back into the national spotlight.
2009
On the show in 2009, Bruce revealed he had plastic surgery to correct a previous operation on his face.
2010
In February 2010, he returned to the race course with an appearance at the Daytona Speedway. That same year he was inducted into the San Jose Sports Hall of Fame.
2010
2011
2012
Bruce proudly showed off his Wheaties box during a July 2012 visit to Extra. In conjunction with the E! series, Bruce often did press appearances.
2013
2013
Bruce and Kris announced in October 2013 that they had been separated for a year. It was already known from KUWTK that Bruce and Kris had been living separately.
2014
Speculation about his changing looks was at an all-time high in 2014, when reports came out that Bruce, who had been growing out his hair, had surgery to remove his Adam's apple. He was also photographed with painted nails.
2014
Speculation that Bruce was transitioning into a woman was rampant, though Bruce didn't comment.
2015
Bruce's family, including his ex-wife, expressed their support for his transition after his interview with Diane Sawyer aired on April 24.