John Ruf: key obituary facts
Is John Ruf dead? Yes. John Ruf died on July 8, 2026, at age 58.
Cause of death: John Ruf's cause of death has not been publicly confirmed.
What was John Ruf known for?
John Ruf was an American sailor.
More about John Ruf
Born: March 4, 1968.
John Ruf, an American sailor and Paralympic competitor, died on July 8, 2026, at age 58.
Born John Federick Ruf on March 4, 1968, in Chicago, he grew up sailing on Pewaukee Lake in Wisconsin and later earned a law degree after studying at Washington University in St. Louis and the University of Wisconsin–Madison.
After losing the ability to walk in 1999 because of a spinal tumor, he went on to compete at the 2008 Summer Paralympics, where he won bronze in the mixed 1-person keelboat 2.4mR event. He was later named world champion at the 2009 2.4 Metre World Championship in Fort Myers, Florida.