[21][22] She was featured in the November 7, 2015, episode of the television series Iyanla: Fix My Life on the Oprah Winfrey Network. The couple has one son, Christopher Jules, who was born in 1997. . Thomas, who contested the bipolar diagnosis, declared bankruptcy in 2014. Thomas followed this with a surgical residency at the University of Arkansas Medical Sciences Hospital and an orthopedic surgery residency at the Martin Luther King Jr./Charles Drew University Medical Center in South Central Los Angeles. There have been other roadblocks not completely of her making. Debi started participating in skating competitions when she was 12 years old, which means her career started early. As a female African American sports star of the 1980s, Debi won numerous awards. Debi Thomas has an estimated net worth of $500 thousand that she earned from her skating career. The skater was first represented at the Los Angeles Figure Skating Club in 1983 and began her professional life. At the 1988 Winter Olympics held in Calgary, she and Katarina Witt engaged in a rivalry that the media dubbed the "Battle of the Carmens", as both women skated their long programs to the music of Georges Bizet's opera Carmen. 93 at Levis Stadium later this month. They had 1 child. As a figure skater, Thomas won bronze at the 1988 Olympic Games, becoming the first Black athlete to win a medal at the Winter Olympics. The life of an athlete can be short and bittersweet. "It took me a while to get into a residency program. Thomas returned to the ice briefly to participate in "The Caesars Tribute: A Salute to the Golden Age of American Skating", an event which featured many of the greatest legends and icons of American figure skating. But the path that led her to her residency has taken more than its share of detours. However, Debi was inducted into the 2000 ice skating Hall of Fame. I think Illinois has got a good team. For whatever reasons, they didnt think I was good enough to get an offer. [1] She was inducted into the U.S. Cal, who has not defeated USC since the 2003 season, is once again struggling to generate offensive production. "I'm thankful I have a better relationship with. "But it taught me that I don't have to be in a rush to reach my goals.". Debi Thomas was previously married to Christopher Bequette (1996 - 2010) and Brian Vanden Hogen (1988 - 1991). She performed for Stars on Ice and won the 1988 World Professional Championships in Landover, Maryland. He plans to pursue a career in the NFL. She is the 1986 World champion, the 1988 Olympic bronze medalist, and a two-time U.S. national champion. His dads side of the family may rule the college football ranks, but his mom Debi Thomas takes things up a notch. "Part of the reason was my grades. Then, she was once married to Chris Bequette, a sports attorney, and is now executive team trainer at ACN Sac Global. After their relationship ended, she married a sports attorney, Chris Bequette, in autumn 1996. Thomas was diagnosed with bipolar disorder by April 2012. You don't look a day over 60, Good Morning, Illini Nation: Bracketology on the eve of March. Likewise, Mrs. Thomas served for 'Centinela Hospital', 'Carle Clinic' and 'ORTHO X-challenge Debra J. Thomas'. She sold her Olympic medal. . Debi Thomas attends the Toast To 135 Years Of Thomas' English Muffins at The Muffin House on April 23, 2015 in New York City. Debi is not active on any social media platform. In 1991 Thomas graduated from Stanford University with an engineering degree, and in 1997 she graduated from Northwestern University Medical School. "Luc is my greatest accomplishment," Thomas said. "I am definitely getting the experience of a lifetime. They are all about accountability. As of December 2010, Thomas was in private practice at ORTHO X-cellence Debra J. Thomas, MD, PC in Richlands, Virginia and has since ceased operation. I was worried about my son, having to leave him. Bequette played four sports in high school: football, baseball, wrestling and track. He ended up in a great spot at Illinois.. Dr. Thomas married sports attorney Chris Bequette in 1996, and in 1997, just weeks after receiving her medical degree, she and her husband welcomed their first child, Christopher Jules Bequette II. She and fiance Jamie Looney now live with his two sons, Ethan and Austin in southwest Virginia. "Engineering is very different. In 1987, Thomas suffered with Achilles tendinitis in both ankles and struggled at the U.S. Nationals, placing second to Jill Trenary. (1 September 1996 - 2010) (divorced) (1 child). About Debi Thomas is a 55 year old American Skater. Also learn how She earned most of networth at the age of 53 years old? Besides, she made an identity of her own because of her hard work and dedication. [7] She rebounded at the World Championships, finishing a close second to East German skater Katarina Witt. Winds NNE at 10 to 20 mph.. Cloudy with rain developing after midnight. There are new goals now. The move to Virginia was controversial, as Thomas moved there after her divorce from her husband, Chris Bequette, and left her son. Not only in skate, but Thomas is also a successful surgeon. I felt like I had overcome the difficulties I was having and somebody finally gave me a chance.". The 34-year-old Stanford graduate is working as an orthopedic surgical resident at a Los Angeles hospital. Discover today's celebrity birthdays and explore famous people who share your birthday. The pair tied the knot in autumn 1996 and welcome a baby boy into their life. Now I think Im one of the biggest Cal fans on the team, he said. But still, Debi managed to become an inspiration to many skating lovers and aspiring skaters. Losing streak snapped. It was not so long ago that Debi Thomas spent six hours a day on the ice, having made a complete physical and emotional commitment to achieving a high goal. But he's actually done remarkably well.". Scuba Certification; Private Scuba Lessons; Scuba Refresher for Certified Divers; Try Scuba Diving; Enriched Air Diver (Nitrox) But when the dust settled, it was clear that scholarships from Cal and Vanderbilt would be prioritized over a preferred walk-on offer from Arkansas, family namesake or not. As her financial status goes, she is in a terrible condition. College football: Illinois vs. California, 3 p.m., Dec. 30, Remember him? When she was 5 years old, Debi Thomas told her mother that she wanted be a doctor and a champion figure skater when she grew up. One thing led to another and became a pile of obstacles, from being bankrupt in failed marriage to losing custody of her son when Luc was 13 years old. Debis figure skating career was launched by Los Angeles Figure Skating Club. Her rivalry with East Germany's Katarina Witt at the 1988 Calgary Olympics was known as the Battle of the Carmens. She now recruits people to buy small gold bullion pieces she calls "Karatbars." A few decades later, Bequettes father Chris and his uncle Jay both followed in their dads footsteps, competing for college football legend Lou Holtz in the early 1980s. I think it was harder before, Bequette said, speaking generally about his relationship with his mom and her split from the family. Similarly, after winning various competitions continuously, Debi wins ABCs Wide World of Sports Athlete of the Year Award. The main reason for Debis bankruptcy was her divorce, and she had to pay a considerable amount of money as an alumnus to her ex-husband to raise their son. Things began to change after her divorce from Chris. As I mentioned, I love traveling and so that was definitely one of my main reasons for coming here.. Moreover, in 1985 Debi came in the fifth position at World Championship, and in 1986 Thomas brought the gold medal home. When hes no longer here, Wilcox said, its going to feel awkward., Cal player Luc Bequette has a famous mom and a, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Alameda County DAs new policy will reduce prison sentences through widespread elimination of sentencing enhancements, Cal player Luc Bequette has a famous mom and a seven-year college football career. Retirement, Wife & Michael Jordan: Family, Career, Success & Net Ryan Lochte Net Worth: Earnings & Sponsors, Who Is Aaron Rodgers Wife? She had an excellent skating career and an excellent educational degree as well. After winning the 1988 World Champion, Debi retired from amateur figure skating. As a young child, Thomas was coached by Barbara Toigo Vitkovits at Eastridge Mall in San Jose. Even though she was a pre-med student, she managed time for University and college. From his first day forward, Bequette was a lineman much to the delight of his dad, who started nearly 40 games at Arkansas on the offensive line. he University of Arkansas campus lies just a few hundred miles from the states capital of Little Rock, just a mornings trek along Interstate Highways 40 and 49. Dr. Thomas has worked with the Women's Sports Foundation, and has always helped children's charities. Her zodiac sign is Aries. I think I got second in state for 7A (in shotput) and then did baseball at the same time as that.. [1] She graduated from Stanford in 1991 with a degree in engineering and then from the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in 1997. This weekend, Thomas will cap her. During this time, Thomas returned to school to become an orthopedic surgeon. debi thomas husband, chris bequettemerino wool gloves for hunting. She got hold of a gun and fired it to the ground. Standing at more than 6 feet tall and built like a lineman, you might guess that he was solid in the shotput and other field events. The couple exchanged their vows on 15th March 1988, in Boulder, Colorado. She attributes her current predicament to the high legal fees surrounding her divorce from her second husband, Chris Bequette, and the costly child support. But the 100 meter dash and 4100 meter relay events? Web Policies, Careers, Accessibility, HHS Vulnerability Disclosure NLM, 8600 Rockville Pike Bethesda MD 20894 NIH, HHS, FOIA, NLM Support Center, Last reviewed: 03 June 2015Last updated: 03 June 2015First published: 14 October 2003. Bequette lived in Champaign from August 2007 to 2013. In 2014, Thomas launched a GoFundMe for a YouTube show she said would uncover the reality of living in a town like Richlands. Bequette went to a camp at Berkeley and tried both sides of the line. Likewise, Debi was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2012. Debi Thoms had a happy marriage with her first husband, Brian Vander. She skated professionally for two years after the 1988 Games and eventually retired in 1992. After their competitive years are over, their livescan be just as hard. As a young child, Thomas was coached by Barbara Toigo Vitkovits at Eastridge Mall in San Jose. When she was 5 years old, Debi Thomas told her mother that she wanted be a doctor and a champion figure skater when she grew up. However, after eight years of marriage, Debi divorced Brian, and in 1996 she married a handsome attorney, Chris Bequette. It seems like every day I hear something new and crazy that shows how long Ive been in college, said Bequette, 24. [1] In January 1988, she reclaimed the U.S. national title. Hes just a good guy to be around, said Cal coach Justin Wilcox, whose tenure began in Year 3 of the Bequette Era. You have entered an incorrect email address! She might also use her engineering and medical background to develop arthroscopy tools and/or prosthetic devices and joints. She left the family when Luc was 13 and he remained with his dad at that point. She set up a practice in Illinois, but had difficulty getting along with other doctors, reported The Washington Post. This summer, fresh off a year in which he graduated with a degree in legal studies and started all 13 games for Cal, he visited Yosemite National Park for the first time the perfect escape for an athlete who describes himself as passionate, happy and, of course, adventurous. Born in 1967, Debi is currently 54 years old. In July 2006, she began a one-year fellowship at the Dorr Arthritis Institute at Centinela Hospital in Inglewood, California, for sub-specialty training in adult-reconstructive surgery. About Debi Thomas - Facts and Photos of Legendary Skater of 80's Era. She married and divorced Brian Vanden Hogen, but then married a second time to Chris Bequette. Debi is the only African-American ice skater to win a medal in figure skating in the Winter Olympics and the first to win an award in any event during the Winter Games. Luc Bequette is all grown up now, Epps 'doing better' after hospitalization, Good Morning, Illini Nation: More from Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn, Asmussen | Reduced ticket prices for football the right move, Big Ten women's basketball tournament primer: They're in it to win it, Gibbs-Lawhorn thriving with Overtime Elite, New Illini-centered name, image, likeness collective targets big-dollar donations, Asmussen | Happy birthday, Assembly Hall/State Farm Center. Luc Bequette gets his trophy at the LIttle League Home Run Derby in Eisner Park in Champaign, IL. The move to Virginia was controversial, as Thomas moved there after her divorce from her husband, Chris Bequette, and left her son. Not so surprisingly, she secured second place despite the injury, which deserves applause. Many of Bequettes current teammates in Berkeley were in middle school. At first skating in a local mall in California, at 10, she signed with her coach Alex McGowan and represented the Los Angeles Skating Club. Before divorcing, they had a son named Christopher Jules "Luc" Bequette (b. Bequette has been invaluable as a veteran on a defensive line that lost its top player, Brett Johnson, for the season because of a hip injury sustained in a car accident. One of the most popular female sports stars of the 1980s was Debi Thomas, a queen of the ice. They haven't revealed the information when they engaged. She won the two biggest career matches in engineering college. In our family, we dont start playing football until were ninth graders. At this point Ive kind of gotten over it. As a result, Debi becomes third. After getting the extra COVID year, he found his way back to Berkeley. Joakim Noah Bio: NBA, Team Ambassador, Girlfriend & Net Worth. Even though she is a brilliant surgeon, her license expired then, and she didnt even have money to renew the license. And then came his cousin Jake, who, as a defensive end for the Razorbacks, became a third round pick for the New England Patriots, and enjoyed a short-lived NFL career that included a Super Bowl ring in 2014. Thomas, a former champion figure skater and surgeon, moved into her fianc's trailer and could no longer work as a doctor. Her rivalry with East Germany 's Katarina Witt at the 1988 Calgary Olympics was known as the Battle of the Carmens . Managed to become an inspiration to many skating lovers and aspiring skaters am definitely getting the experience of gun... 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