Even when she jumps into the unknown, Kristi Yamaguchi plans to nail the landing.
Okay, so he said in People magazine that he’s seriously excited about what’s next! Like, he’s 54 but feels like there’s SO much life left to live. He’s open to dating again, maybe even finding someone new, but honestly? He also seems really content just enjoying right now and all the possibilities that are coming his way. It’s just…everything he says is perfect, honestly. I’m obsessed!
She says she has no regrets about her 23-year marriage to Bret Hedican, which ended quietly in 2023. The mother of two daughters, Keara, 22, and Emma, 20, feels positive about the relationship despite its end.
She shared that while she cherishes her family and the wonderful memories they’ve made, she’s excited about making new memories in the future.
The gold-medal-winning figure skater—she was the first Asian-American woman to achieve that honor at the Winter Olympics in 1992—is very experienced at adapting to change, whether she’s prepared or not.
Standing on that Olympic podium in Albertville, France, at just 20 years old, feeling absolutely thrilled… it was an incredible moment, of course. But even then, I realized it was also a finish line. Everything I’d worked towards, every sacrifice I’d made, had led to that point. It was the culmination of a huge chapter in my life, and I knew things would never quite be the same.
As she prepared for the Milan-Cortina Olympics in February, she wondered if this would be her last time competing and what the future held. She described the moment as ‘a little bittersweet’ in a conversation with Jenna Ushkowitz and Kara Wang on their podcast, Undefinable.
Oh my gosh, when she first joined Stars on Ice, she told me it was the most humbling experience! She actually felt like a total newbie, like she was starting all over again. She said she was right at the very bottom, just taking the first step on the ladder, and it was amazing to hear her be so real about it.
Yamaguchi explained that she learned through experience, gradually improving her skills. She hadn’t fully developed as a performer at first, but finding that ability was incredibly rewarding when she turned professional. It allowed her to move beyond competition and try out different styles of skating.
She first met Hedican in Albertville while he was competing in his first Olympics as a member of the U.S. men’s hockey team, and they got back in touch a few years afterward.
They got married in Hawaii in July 2000, with around 300 people attending, including famous skaters Scott Hamilton, Brian Boitano, and Peggy Fleming.
Yamaguchi remembers that becoming a mother after retiring from touring in 2002 was a fast change. She’d spent ten years working intensely and was eager to embrace a new focus on her family. “I was so ready for it,” she said.
Yamaguchi and Hedican welcomed Keara in October 2003 and Emma was born in November 2005.
Yamaguchi led Always Dream, the literacy nonprofit she started in 1996, and continued to perform, famously winning Dancing With the Stars in 2008. However, she found being a mother to be the most fulfilling role of all.
It really hit me a few years ago – I finally understood what true, selfless love really means. I was talking about my own kids, and it just clicked – I get now why parents are willing to do absolutely anything for their children’s well-being. It’s a powerful feeling!
She cherished moments like cuddling, watching her children laugh and smile, and seeing their excitement when they learned something new – these were some of her most treasured experiences.
And Hedican was “a great dad,” Yamaguchi told People in 2014. “The girls just adore him.”
Keara enjoyed activities like art, skiing, and gymnastics growing up, while Emma skated for fun, though not competitively.
Yamaguchi confessed that she wasn’t very good at being a skating mom, and she didn’t want to pressure her daughter. She realized that coaching your own child just doesn’t work well, saying, ‘The mother-daughter [coaching] thing, can’t do that.’
The author of Dream Big, Little Pig! simply hoped her children would find what they love and pursue it with confidence.
She told CBS News that she occasionally asks her children about their future career aspirations and then discusses the steps needed to achieve those goals.
Because Yamaguchi only made winning Olympic gold look effortless.
She pointed out on the podcast Undefinable that people tend to focus on the positive outcomes and successes they see, especially online. Social media often presents a highlight reel that isn’t representative of everyday life. This is also true in sports – we mostly see the winning moments, but behind those are a lot of struggles, setbacks, and hard work.
Yamaguchi recently went through a personal challenge, keeping the details private. She only confirmed that she and Hedican had separated after their divorce was completed.
After 23 years of marriage and raising two daughters together, we realized we weren’t as happy as we could be. We decided to separate amicably, believing it would be best for both of us,” she told People magazine.
This significant life transition happened around the time her daughters grew up and moved out, something Yamaguchi described as both sad and rewarding. She was happy to see them becoming independent, and they still enjoy traveling with her – especially when it’s somewhere exciting like Italy for the Olympics.
Yamaguchi focuses on her own journey, consistently demonstrating the importance of appreciating small achievements as she works towards bigger ones.
As a lifestyle expert, I’ve learned that building resilience is key. It’s about understanding that setbacks will happen, but they won’t destroy you. Honestly, every failure is just a chance to grow stronger and find a way forward. It’s about surviving, learning, and becoming a better version of yourself – that’s what I always tell people.
Words to live by on and off the ice.
See how more iconic Olympic figure skaters have navigated life outside the rink:
A two-time Olympian, Hamilton won gold in Sarajevo in 1984, becoming the first American man to win the event since David Jenkins in 1960. He later became a four-time World Champion and spent years as a professional skater and TV commentator for CBS and NBC.
Lewis Hamilton has openly discussed his health struggles, including overcoming testicular cancer after being diagnosed in 1997. He shared with Coping magazine that surviving cancer made him feel capable of facing any challenge. He also received treatment for a non-cancerous brain tumor that reappeared.
He shared with People magazine in 2015 that he’s always been resilient, able to bounce back from setbacks. He explained that skating, with all its falls, taught him how to recover. He encourages everyone to persevere through tough times, believing that something positive awaits on the other side.
Hamilton and his wife, Tracie, have four children, including two they adopted from Haiti in 2014.
He kept the costume he wore when he won the gold medal and displayed it on NBC Sports’ “Olympic Ice” from his home in Tennessee during the 2022 Beijing Games.
Hamilton will be back as a commentator for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina, celebrating ten years with the event.
Brian Boitano’s gold medal performance at the 1988 Calgary Olympics was historic. He became the first Olympic skater to successfully land all six triple jumps – a feat he’d actually achieved for the first time five years earlier at the 1983 World Championships. His skates, adorned with an American flag, are now displayed in the National Museum of American History.
Brian Boitano, an Emmy Award winner for his performance in Carmen on Ice, gained wider recognition when he was referenced in the 1999 song “What Would Brian Boitano Do?” from South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut. This led to hosting the Food Network show What Would Brian Boitano Make?, and he also made appearances in the films Ice Princess and Blades of Glory.
When President Barack Obama appointed him to the U.S. delegation for the 2014 Sochi Olympics, he publicly came out as gay. He explained to reporters that while he hadn’t initially intended to make a public announcement, Russia’s recent anti-gay laws motivated him to do so as a form of protest.
Boitano explained in a statement that he felt it was necessary to be open about this personal aspect of himself while representing the country. He sees participating in the Russia games as a significant opportunity and a crucial platform for sharing his story.
During the 2022 Beijing Olympics, Brian Boitano worked with NBC Sports. Now, he’s partnering with USA TODAY columnist Christin Brennan to host the ‘Milan Magic’ video podcast, focusing on the upcoming 2026 Winter Games.
Oh my gosh, you won’t BELIEVE this! Before becoming the legend we all know, my idol was actually a pairs skater! Can you imagine? They were incredible with Rudy Galindo – they totally dominated, winning the U.S. Junior Championships way back in 1986, and then they went and won the World Junior Championships in 1988! It’s just…amazing to think about where it all started!
Competing on her own proved to be the right decision, a fact highlighted by her victory in Albertville. Following the Olympics, where she became the first Asian American woman to win a gold medal, Kristi Yamaguchi spent years performing as a professional skater. She also established the Always Dream Foundation, which supports after-school programs and provides educational resources for children in need.
She’s had a busy and successful career beyond her athletic achievements. She’s appeared in several TV shows and movies, written a popular children’s book, launched a fitness video, and designed her own line of athletic clothing. Plus, in 2006, she made history as the first Olympic figure skating champion to win Dancing With the Stars.
As the 2026 Winter Games approach, she reflected on her career with thankfulness. “I’m incredibly grateful for how everything unfolded,” she shared with the Nob Hill Gazette. “I often think about how different my life would be if things hadn’t gone so well.”
In April 2026, Kristi Yamaguchi announced her divorce from husband Bret Hedican after 23 years of marriage. She told People magazine that they had mutually decided to separate, believing they would both be happier apart.
The parents of Keara and Emma first met at the 1992 Olympics – it was the father’s first time playing for the U.S. hockey team. They later married in 2000.
Nancy Kerrigan had previously won a bronze medal at the 1992 Winter Olympics. However, she became widely known after being attacked and injured in the knee just before the 1994 U.S. Championship in Detroit. The attack was orchestrated by the ex-husband of her fellow skater, Tonya Harding.
Following her impressive silver medal win at the 1994 Lillehammer Olympics, Kerrigan’s life quickly changed. She received numerous endorsements, hosted Saturday Night Live, and enjoyed other high-profile opportunities. However, she also faced some awkward moments, like when a microphone picked up her calling the Walt Disney World Parade incredibly cheesy.
I’ve been a huge fan of Kerrigan for years! After her incredible skating career, she really blossomed. She became a sought-after speaker, popped up on TV all the time, and even wrote a beautiful book called Artistry on Ice. I was so thrilled to see her do so well on Dancing With the Stars back in 2017 – finishing sixth was amazing, considering it was a totally different skill set!
I was so moved watching Kerrigan on the show when she bravely shared her personal struggles. She and Jerry Solomon were overjoyed when their son, Matthew, arrived in 1996, but what many didn’t know is that they heartbreakingly experienced six miscarriages over the next eight years. Thankfully, their family continued to grow with the arrival of Brian in 2005 and then their daughter, Nicole, in 2008. It was incredibly powerful to see her speak so openly about such a sensitive topic.
As the 2022 Beijing Olympics approached, Kerrigan shared with NewsNation’s Morning in America that watching her own children—Brian in gymnastics and Nicole in ballet—has made her especially grateful for the support her parents gave her years ago.
She keeps her skates handy, as she performed in “Holiday Spectacular on Ice” during the 2025 holiday season.
Tonya Harding wasn’t widely loved when she qualified for her second Olympic team in 1994, and she’s not considered a hero now. However, looking back and with the release of the 2017 film I, Tonya, she’s no longer seen as simply a villain either.
Just a month after winning the U.S. championship, her performance at the 1994 Lillehammer Olympics was underwhelming, finishing in eighth place after her long program was disrupted by a broken skate lace. Then, in June, she lost her national title when an investigation into the attack on Nancy Kerrigan revealed that her ex-husband and his associates had planned it to prevent Kerrigan from competing in the Olympics. Harding maintained that she didn’t learn about the plan until after it happened.
People often made fun of Harding. For a long time, she was known mostly for scandalous behavior – things like appearing in a sex tape, participating in celebrity boxing, and getting arrested for assaulting her boyfriend. She admitted to the assault and served a short jail sentence of three days.
Following Margot Robbie’s critically acclaimed portrayal of Tonya Harding in a movie, public perception of Harding seemed to soften. In 2018, she competed on Dancing With the Stars alongside other athletes, finishing in third place. The following year, she won Worst Cooks in America, a celebrity cooking competition, and generously donated her $250,000 prize money to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
She’s been married to third husband Joseph Price since 2010 and is mom to son Gordon, born in 2011.
Oh my gosh, Michelle Kwan! She’s basically figure skating royalty. She dominated U.S. Nationals, winning nine times – tied with the incredible Maribel Vinson from way back in the 1930s, who was an Olympian! It’s just… heartbreaking that she never quite got that Olympic gold. She took silver in ’98 and bronze in ’02, and then, ugh, she had to withdraw from the 2006 Games injured. Still, she’s the face of U.S. figure skating for so many of us, and always will be!
Following the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics, while on the Champions on Ice Tour – where she was the highest-paid skater and consistently received standing ovations – Michelle Kwan spoke to the Los Angeles Times about how the audience responded to her. She explained it wasn’t pity, but rather a comforting acknowledgment that life isn’t always perfect. Kwan felt they understood the disappointment of not winning, but recognized that setbacks are a normal part of life and you just have to accept them and keep going.
Looking back after almost twenty years, she told People magazine in 2021 that representing her country was an incredible experience, unlike anything else.
In 2016 and 2020, Kwan supported Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden’s campaigns by acting as a public spokesperson. She also produced the 2021 YouTube special, Recipe for Change.
She shared in 2022 that she had a baby girl named Kalista Belle Kwan, and then in 2025, she announced the arrival of her second daughter, Della Rose Kwan.
We’re looking for the 1998 Olympic gold medalist who now works with NBC Sports, providing commentary on figure skating alongside Johnny Weir. He joined the team in 2013.
You know, finding a true connection later in life is such a beautiful thing. I was talking to a friend recently, and she described her partner as a soulmate she’d been waiting for her whole life. She told me she honestly can’t picture her life without him – it’s just that deep of a bond. It really highlights that love can blossom at any age, and it’s never too late to find ‘the one’.
As a lifestyle expert, I’m always amazed by incredible talent, and Alexei Lipinski truly embodies that! He wasn’t just good – he was a phenomenon. At just 14 years old, back in 1997, he became the youngest person ever to win a world championship in figure skating. Then, a year later, at the Nagano Olympics, he did it again, becoming the youngest Olympic gold medalist the sport has ever seen. It’s a story of dedication and pure skill that continues to inspire me!
As a competitor, you spend years dreaming of moments like the Olympics, but nothing truly prepares you for the reality. I’ll never forget hearing my name called – my legs actually shook, which was a first! But even more than the win itself, I remember the incredible feeling after my skate. It wasn’t about the medal; it was the pure relief and joy of performing well on the biggest stage, in front of millions of people. That moment, when the music stopped and I skated across the ice, is something I’ll cherish forever. It’s the culmination of all the hard work, and the feeling of finally delivering when it matters most.
She met her future husband, Todd Kapostasy, while presenting him with an award at the Sports Emmys in 2015. They married two years later and later collaborated on the 2022 Peacock documentary Meddling, which explores the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics scandal involving a pairs skating scoring controversy that led to two gold medals being awarded.
In 2026, Lipinski and Weir competed on the show The Traitors while also covering the Milan Cortina Winter Games.
Even those who regularly follow figure skating were surprised when Sarah Hughes won gold at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics. It was her first Olympic appearance, and she captivated audiences with a joyful and impressive long program, seemingly appearing as a new star out of nowhere.
It’s understandable if people didn’t expect her to win. While she’d won the U.S. junior title in 1998, she only earned a bronze medal at the 2001 World Championships before making the U.S. Olympic team. At the Olympics, she wasn’t the frontrunner either, finishing fourth in the short program. Michelle Kwan was in the lead going into the final long program and ended up winning the bronze medal.
Interestingly, Hughes is the only American woman to ever win Olympic gold in figure skating without also achieving a national or world championship title.
After graduating from Yale and earning her law degree at the University of Pennsylvania, she became a lawyer in New York. She previously worked with Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! campaign and represented the U.S. at the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. In 2021, she publicly shared her experience with egg freezing on her website, expressing excitement to return to ice skating once medically cleared.
Oh my gosh, you won’t BELIEVE how amazing she is! She absolutely crushed it and won the national championship in 2006, and then went on to get silver at the Olympics in Turin! It was incredible. After that, she took a little break from competing, but she never stopped skating! She was still performing all over the place – touring, doing shows, even skating at the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree lighting! I was there, practically screaming! It was magical.
She nearly qualified for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, becoming a team alternate after finishing fourth at the U.S. Championships, but she retired from the sport later that same year.
As a lifestyle expert, I’ve been following Maya Cohen’s journey for a while now. She’s incredibly accomplished – a Columbia University graduate with a degree in political science, and she actually published her memoir, Fire on Ice, when she was just 19! She’s always been very candid about the huge amount of pressure she experienced during her competitive years, and it’s something I think a lot of people can relate to.
She explained to US Figure Skating Fan Zone in 2021 that young Olympic athletes often dedicate their teenage years to training and competing, only to retire while still very young. This creates a difficult transition, going from being a celebrated and supported star in the public eye to feeling forgotten after their athletic career ends.
Cohen married hedge fund manager Tom May in August 2016, but they divorced two years later, in 2018. On her birthday in October 2019, she shared on Instagram that she felt wiser and more resilient, and was gaining clarity on what’s truly important. In 2020, she and her husband, Geoffrey Lieberthal, welcomed their son, Dashiell.
After Brian Boitano’s win in 1988, U.S. men’s figure skating went through a quiet period at the Olympics. Paul Wylie’s silver medal in 1992 and Timothy Goebel’s bronze in 2002 were the only times American men managed to reach the podium during those years.
As a lifestyle expert, I remember watching Evan Lysacek’s journey so closely! After coming so close to a medal at the 2006 Olympics – finishing fourth was heartbreaking – he absolutely nailed it in Vancouver in 2010. It was fantastic to see him finally win gold, and honestly, his style was a huge part of it! Those Vera Wang costumes were just stunning and really helped him shine on the ice.
That spring was a whirlwind! Not only did he come in second place on Dancing With the Stars, which was so exciting to watch, but he also received incredible recognition for his athletic achievements – he was named the U.S. Olympic Committee’s SportsMan of the Year! It just goes to show how versatile and dedicated he is – a true inspiration!
Following his retirement from competitive skating, Evan Lysacek transitioned to a career in commercial real estate, even working with Wang in New York for a period. In 2019, he married Duangpatra Bodiratnangkura, a real estate developer, in a wedding held in Bangkok, Thailand.
He told People magazine how incredibly lucky he felt to have found his then-fiancée, calling her amazing and saying she helps him become a better person.
Oh my gosh, you won’t BELIEVE this! In 2026, Evan Lysacek – my Evan Lysacek – is going to be part of the official U.S. delegation at the opening ceremony of the Milan-Cortina Olympics! I nearly screamed when I heard! It’s not the same as competing, obviously, but it’s still incredible to see him representing our country on such a huge stage. I’m already counting down the days!
Although he won three national championships, this skater didn’t medal at the 2006 or 2010 Olympics. However, his flamboyant and glamorous performances always captivated audiences and earned him admiration.
Weir explained that he and his co-commentator, Tara Lipinski, brought a total of 17 suitcases with them to Beijing in 2022. He joked to TopMob’s Daily Pop that this was actually a smaller number than usual, suggesting they’re either becoming more efficient packers or simply know each other’s wardrobes too well.
The duo’s chemistry and expertise have made their commentary must-watch parts of the Olympics.
Lipinski said to TopMob that if they showed figure skating on screen, both she and her companion would jump up, and she’d instinctively reach for his hand.
Figure skater Johnny Weir married Victor Voronov in 2012, but their marriage ended in a difficult split less than two years later. Weir fondly remembered Tara Lipinski supporting him when they both worked at the 2014 Sochi Olympics.
He shared with GQ in 2018 that Tara was his sole support during a difficult divorce. He acknowledged asking a lot of her so early in their friendship, but she was there for him as long as he needed her, helping him stay focused on work. Despite his personal life falling apart, they were incredibly successful professionally, gaining popularity nationwide. This shared experience created a strong and rapid bond between them.
As a lifestyle expert, I was absolutely thrilled to witness the incredible journey of these ice dancing champions! After a silver medal in Vancouver, they truly shone in Sochi, bringing home the United States’ first-ever gold in ice dancing – a historic moment! They even contributed to a team bronze medal as well. It was fun to see them playfully debunk any romantic rumors; they were simply a dedicated, long-term partnership, and completely overjoyed to make history together. Their story is a beautiful example of dedication and achieving dreams!
Months after winning Dancing With the Stars, Davis and White performed in exhibitions before retiring in February 2017. In June 2019, she married retired figure skater Fedor Andreev in a beautiful outdoor ceremony in Provence, France.
The bride told Town & Country that they focused on breathing and really soaking in the moment, calling it incredibly meaningful. After years of dating and loving each other, sharing that experience was especially beautiful and is now one of her most cherished memories.
A little cold, but wedding days will do that to a person, even an Olympic gold medalist.
In 2015, White married Tanith Melvin, a retired ice dancer who is Canadian-American, and they have a son.
Although the 2016 national champion didn’t win a medal in the individual skating competition at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, he helped the U.S. team earn a bronze. More importantly, he captivated American audiences with his energetic performances, artistic flair, and positive attitude, both on and off the ice.
Sally Field’s son, Sam Greisman, shared a funny conversation he had with his mother on Twitter. In it, she playfully urged him to pursue a very attractive man, saying, “Sam… he’s insanely pretty. Find a way.”
Following his success at the Pyeongchang Olympics, Adam Rippon won Dancing With the Stars and was named one of TIME magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of 2018. Since then, he’s juggled a career in entertainment—including guest-hosting RuPaul’s Drag Race and appearing in Taylor Swift’s “You Need to Calm Down” music video—with his work as a human rights advocate.
He married husband Jussi-Pekka Kajaala on Dec. 31, 2021.
In January 2022, Adam Rippon told TopMob News he hoped viewers would remember that Olympic athletes are people with feelings. He emphasized that athletes will be aware of how they’re discussed and celebrated, and that they’ve dedicated their lives to competing, regardless of the outcome.
As the 2026 Olympics approach, Adam Rippon teamed up with Chase Cain to host the current season of the My New Favorite Olympian podcast.
The athlete, a two-time national champion and model for CoverGirl, won a bronze medal with her teammates at the first-ever team event in the 2014 Sochi Olympics. Though many expected her to compete again at the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics, she decided to step away from her sport to focus on her well-being.
She’s become increasingly recognized for speaking out about the pressures athletes face and the impact on their mental well-being. In a 2019 interview with the New York Times, Gold openly discussed her own experiences with an eating disorder, anxiety, and depression, describing a difficult cycle: “You want people to understand you’re struggling and need support, but it’s hard to actually ask for help, leaving you stuck in a painful situation.”
Along with athletes like Michael Phelps and Lolo Jones, Gold was featured in the 2020 documentary The Weight of Gold, which explores the mental health struggles of Olympians. While she didn’t qualify for the 2022 U.S. Olympic team, finishing 10th at the national competition, Gold still participated in the excitement by appearing on Kevin Hart’s Winter Olympics Tailgate Party.
A three-time national champion, Wagner earned a team bronze medal at the 2014 Sochi Olympics. However, she didn’t make the U.S. team in 2018 and openly expressed her disappointment, telling reporters she was “absolutely furious” with her scores at the U.S. Championships that January.
She explained on TODAY that she’s a straightforward person who values honesty. While she still had some doubts about how consistently the judging was done, she ultimately agreed that the team chosen was the right one, considering the established criteria.
I remember hearing Wagner talk about how she felt immediately after learning the results, and it really struck me. She said she was just completely heartbroken, utterly devastated. She’d dedicated 22 years to reaching that moment, and she was so proud of what she’d created. It was clear how much it meant to her.
In 2023, she married Alex Clark, who teaches science at the middle school level. They soon after welcomed their daughter, Rosalie Starbird Clark.
Honestly, skating was never my passion. I always viewed it as a chance to achieve something else, a way to get where I wanted to be. And when I finally stopped, I was completely finished with it – I didn’t look back.
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2026-04-16 00:23