Phelps's W.Va. family ecstatic over historic win

To the rest of the world, U.S. swimmer Michael Phelps is a record-breaking phenom and a world-class Olympian. To the McDonald family in Petersburg, Grant County, he's a cousin to be proud of. Because of the five-hour broadcast delay, Diana McDonald didn't know when Croatia Euro 2012 Jersey reached at her home Tuesday afternoon that her cousin had just secured his 15th Olympic gold medal. Phelps, who was the anchor for the U.S. team, took the gold in the men's 4x200 freestyle relay in the London games. That medal also secured him a place in the record books. With 19 medals, including 15 gold, Phelps is now the Olympian holding the most medals ever. He also has two silver and two bronze. McDonald knew about the silver he won earlier Tuesday in the men's 200 butterfly after a family member called. She hadn't heard about the latest swim. "We're just so excited for him," she said. "He's going to be really well known now." McDonald's father and Phelps' grandfather are brothers. She and Phelps' mother, Debbie, are first cousins. She said her 82-year-old father, Joe Davisson, tears up when he watches Phelps swim on television from his home in Maryland. "He just can't believe it," she said. She said the family usually meets up every October at the Autumn Glory Festival in Oakland, Md., but Phelps hasn't been in a number of years because of his many commitments. She said the 27-year-old swimmer is somewhat shy but also very funny and his smile is infectious. The McDonalds - Diana; her husband, John; and her two grown children -- have been to several of Phelps' races in the Baltimore-Towson area, where the swimmer is from, but have not been to any of the Olympic games in which he has competed. His appearance in London is his fourth Olympics. He also competed in Sydney, Athens and Beijing. The McDonalds own a car parts store in Petersburg. The family erected a large sign in the front yard of their Petersburg home cheering on Phelps for the 2008 Beijing games. He racked up eight gold medals in Beijing, one for every event he competed in. McDonald was overjoyed during the 2008 games. She said seeing her cousin Debbie so excited made her happy. She put the sign back up Saturday morning, the day the swimming competition began and the first official day of the London games. The sign is decorated with a red, white and blue bow and is accompanied by the American flag. Her father also has a sign supporting Phelps in his yard. Knowing the outcome of the 400-meter individual medley helped temper her Wholesale Soccer Jerseys nerves before she sat down to watch Saturday. Because the events are tape delayed, she had been told beforehand that he placed fourth. Phelps lost to teammate Ryan Lochte, who took his first gold for the 2012 games. "I don't know what happened there," she said of the event. "It was disappointing and heartbreaking for him." But watching him come back with a strong performance in the 4x100 freestyle relay to earn a silver medal was great, she said. "We're jumping up and down and screaming, and there's almost always tears," she said, describing what it's like to watch him swim. "There's usually a lot of yelling at the TV." She said they would watch the rest of his events as they air on television. Phelps still has a number of events left in the games and more chances for medals. After that, the swimmer has said he plans to retire. "We are so proud of him and so glad he's a member of our family," she said. "We support him even when he's not swimming. We just love him."