Charlotte firefighter Holly Forbes Johnson has just earned global recognition after winning six gold medals and breaking two world records at the 2025 World Police & Fire Games in Birmingham, Alabama.
The 48-year-old mother of three competed in four individual freestyle events and anchored two record-breaking relays. Her 200m freestyle relay team finished more than 20 seconds faster than the previous world record.
A full-time firefighter at Firehouse 38, Forbes Johnson also serves on Charlotte Fire’s dive and swift water rescue team. She hadn’t raced internationally in over 20 years before returning to competition with what she called “a nudge from God.”…