Baldwin recounts harrowing mugging

John Baldwin’s life changed Dec. 17 in St. Petersburg, Russia. He’s thankful it didn’t end.

One day after Baldwin and partner Rena Inoue finished fourth in the senior pairs at the ISU Grand Prix Final in St. Petersburg, he attended the skaters’ banquet and awards ceremony and then joined a group of friends at a nightclub, roughly six blocks from the hotel he was staying in.

“I believe I got separated from them and taken away in a car, not voluntarily,” Baldwin said following a practice session Monday at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships at the Spokane Arena. “They took me away and mugged and robbed me.”

Baldwin was knocked unconscious, beaten and left alone wearing only his dirt-and-blood-stained suit. His other possessions were gone, including his wallet and Olympic ring.

“I was struck in the head and I blacked out,” he said. “It was definitely a life-threatening situation. I was left in the cold, just left alone. Very scary, I didn’t know where I was.”

Baldwin believes a Russian couple might have scared off his attackers and they drove Baldwin back to his hotel. On Inoue’s and Baldwin’s Web site, a note written by the couple and placed in Baldwin’s pocket is posted that reads: “Omar & Anastasia, I help you.” They left a phone number and Baldwin is trying to contact them.

“I think they saved my life,” he said.

Baldwin wasn’t sure he’d compete at the U.S. championships, but skating has helped with the healing process.

“I had vertigo for about three weeks and I’m still dealing with it now, but it’s decreased significantly so I’m able to skate,” said Baldwin, who also suffered a concussion. “When I’m skating I don’t think about it at all because I have so many other things to focus on. Skating has helped me a lot with that.”

Baldwin said the ordeal left him grateful to be alive.

He’s thankful that he and Inoue have an opportunity to defend their U.S. pairs title later this week.

“I didn’t think people were capable of something like that,” he said. “You always hear about it happening, but never think it’s going to happen to you. So it’s changed the way that I live my life. … Don’t put yourself in a situation where there could be peril.”