She then moved to Boulder, Colorado to help her prepare for the Olympics, leading her to win the US National title the following year. Help us build our profile of Brian Vanden Hogen! However, she wouldnt last more than a year in that or any other institution because she was difficult to work with. She is the 1986 World champion, the 1988 Olympic bronze medalist, and a two-time U.S. national champion. Do you find this information helpful? I might have come back and won, but thats not the way I wanted to win it.. Debi Thomas on "Iyanla: Fix My Life" | Source: YouTube/OWN. Currently, she is engaged toJamie Looney, and she adopted his two sons. [3] He received his schooling at Jan van Riebeeck High School in Cape Town, South Africa, and in 1950 played for the Western Province junior tennis team. Debi is just fine. They have also lived in Denver, CO and Westminster, CO. Brian is related to Tracy Renee Szobody and Eric James Olson as well as 3 additional people. Brian Vanden Hogen - Director Project, Operations & Facilities Consultant - HVH Group Pty Ltd | LinkedIn View Brian Vanden Hogen's profile on LinkedIn, the world's largest professional. I got sick of skating. BUDAPEST, Hungary -- Former world figure skating champion Debi Thomas married two weeks ago and kept the news a secret - even from her coach. African American History: Research Guides & Websites, Global African History: Research Guides & Websites, African American Scientists and Technicians of the Manhattan Project, Envoys, Diplomatic Ministers, & Ambassadors, http://www.espn.com/skating/news/2000/0209/345701.html, http://blackamericaweb.com/?q=articles/news/the_state_of_black_america_news/16253, Foundation, Organization, and Corporate Supporters. Debi Thomas is a figure skater and physician, and the first African American woman to win a medal in the Winter Olympics. Ever since her second marriage, Debi Thomas has been residing in Terre Haute, Indiana and is a practicing physician in the same city. Debi Thomas at her home in Fountain Valley, July 6, 2006 | Photo: GettyImages. Copyright 2023 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Thomas, who celebrated her 21st birthday Friday, was married on March 15 in Boulder, Colo., to Brian Vanden Hogen, who turned 23 that day. That same year, Thomas earned the top spot at the World Championships. In February 1986, she took the senior women's title at the U.S. Brian Vanden Hogen About Work Arts Writer at The Badger Herald Madison, Wisconsin College Studied at Univeristy Wisconsin Whitewater Studied at University of Wisconsin-Madison High school Went to Appleton North High School Class of 2014 Photos See all photos Others Named Brian Vanden Hogen See more Others With a Similar Name Brian Syahputra Debi Thomas and Brian Vanden Hogen were married for 2 years. She was incredibly gracious and wrote me a long letter (snail mail) with great suggestions. The main sum of this amount of money is coming from her professional career as a figure skater. The speaker, a white woman who certainly had no accomplishments to her name like those of Ms. Thomas, referred to Ms. Thomas attitude as one of a loser. As if someone who wins an Olympic bronze medal could ever be considered a loser, never mind the fact that she was also a student at one of the most prestigious and demanding universities in the country, and in one of its most difficult fields. Before beginning medical school, she said that she will take a year off from school to either start a family or skate professionally. The couple resides in sout-west Virginia in what is rumoured to be a somewhat difficult relationship. Debi ended up winning the bronze medal, coming behind Germanys Katarina Witt and Canadas Elizabeth Manley. In 2016, Brian released an album of story songs with actor/songwriter Jeff Daniels. The following year she suffered an injury, but still competed, and finished second at the World Championships held in Cincinnati, which also contributed to her net worth. However, when Debi got tired of jumping from job to job and decided to open her practice in Richlands, Virginia, she moved by herself and left her husband and son behind. Ogden said he believes the only other woman who will have a significant standing in the next Q ratings is sprinter Florence Griffith Joyner. Her only deal is with MacMillan books. She later married Chris Bequette, a sports attorney in 1996, and they had a son before divorcing. send a message to a profile manager: https://www.blacknamesproject.com/people/debi-thomas-debra-janine-thomas, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debi_Thomas, https://www.newspapers.com/image/191059259/?article=e072bd0b-be1a-4bd0-a526-632b688f4780&focus=0.019761946,0.31032646,0.17781022,0.6181982&xid=3398, USBH Notables, Needs Genealogically Defined, US Black Heritage Project, Needs Profiles Created, US Black Heritage Project Managed Profiles. In 2000, Thomas was inducted into the U.S. She became the only woman to reach the top 22 of the Q score athlete standings, and was later inducted into the US Figure Skating Hall of Fame. Debi Thomas attends the Toast To 135 Years Of Thomas' English Muffins at The Muffin House on April 23, 2015 in New York City. Graduated from Northwestern Medical School (1997), Graduated from Stanford University with a degree in engineering, On the cover of Time magazine (February 15, 1988). "Never Let You Down," the lead single from the band's 2001 album, Underneath, was one of the Top 50 Most Played songs for Adult Top 40 and Modern A/C radio in 2001. He never understood my reasons for skating. They were married a few weeks after the Olympics. (adsbygoogle=window.adsbygoogle||[]).push({}); Debi Thomas was born on 25 March 1967, in Poughkeepsie, New York State USA, and was a professional figure skater before becoming a physician. to add information, pictures and relationships, join in discussions and get credit for your contributions. Her Calgary experience humanized her to a certain extent, he said. Mental illness may sometimes happen, anyway, but I do think that, sometimes, it is deliberately fostered by the challenges and rejection that racist assumptions heap on young athletes of color. I didnt really care if I won or not. Bud Greenspan's Favorite Stories of Winter Olympic Glory, The Official 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics Video, Herself / American Figure Skater Bronze Medalist. According to a February 2016 online article in The Washington Post, she had declared bankruptcy, let her medical license expire, and was living with her fianc in a trailer in rural southern Virginia (see Miscellaneous links). Brian Vander Ark is an American singer-songwriter best known as lead singer for the band The Verve Pipe. Her parents divorced in 1974.[1]. Please fill in your e-mail so we can share with you our top stories! Born Debra Janine Thomas on 25th March, 1967 in Poughkeepsie, New York, United States, she is famous for She is the 1986 World champion and 1988 Olympic bronze . I spoke up at the time and reminded her that Mr. Iacocca could afford to be mellow because as a white man his leadership was accepted readily, while in the case of Ms. Thomas, she would be considered a loser no matter what she managed to achieve in life, which was already plenty for several lifetimes. event at 1988 Winter Olympics. Even though she said that she wanted to be known as a skater,. But I know hes not able to sit back and say, OK, Debi, do whatever you feel you have to do. Hes not able to do that.. Graduated from Northwestern Medical School (1997), Graduated from Stanford University with a degree in engineering, On the cover of Time magazine (February 15, 1988). The two met at the University of Colorado when Thomas. It sort of blew it for me., Elizabeth Manley, Katarina Witt and Debi Thomas at the 1988 Winter Olympic Games on February 27, 1988 at the Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta, Canada | Photo: GettyImages, Less than a month after the Olympics, Debi married Brian Vander Hogen, who was a student at the University of Colorado, on March 15, 1988. But those people dont understand who I am. Only the Trusted List can access the following: Leave a message for others who see this profile. Facebook gives people the power to. When she heard one of those typical reporter questions--would you do it all over again?--she laughed. I went for the opening ceremony, then went back home for a week to train. She also made Debi admit that there had been domestic violence in her relationship, and criticized her for feeling just frustrated and not sad or angry about having a bed-bug infestation and living in such conditions. Its hard to make a sweet article about the power of codependency. Takin selfies with friends and new friends at #WOFLovedTour pic.twitter.com/kMCdLTxlUt, Debi Thomas (@Orthodeb) October 10, 2015, Posted by Debi Thomas onWednesday, November 2, 2016, In 1986, Thomas won the US National and World Championships, culminating in her being awarded Athlete of the Year from Wide World of Sports, the first female athlete to win while still attending college full-time, since Tenley Albright during the 1950s. Before divorcing, they had a son named Christopher Jules "Luc" Bequette (b. In 1985, Debi came second at the U.S. She was 19. Figure Skating Hall of Fame in 2000. McGowan, who now coaches at a rink outside Detroit, has been reluctant to respond to Thomas comments. After their relationship ended, she married a sports attorney, Chris Bequette, in autumn 1996. Her mother drove over 100 miles a day for four years so Debi could practice and then be back at home to do her schoolwork. He read about it in news reports after the world championships, in which she again finished third. 3 followers 3 connections So, have you ever wondered how rich Debi Thomas is? She didnt complain about me when she won national championships in 1986 and 1988 or the world championship in 1986, he said. She is best known from being a two time US national champion, and the 1988 Olympic bronze medalist in figure skating. This is a digitized version of an article from The Timess print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996. Husband, Net Inducted into the San Jose [California] Sports Hall of Fame in 1998. Thomas mother, divorced when Debi was a small child, earned considerably less than that as a computer programming analyst in Sunnyvale, Calif. About. How rich is Debi Thomas? No longer an amateur, Thomas said she might consult McGowan at times in future. I always had a really soft spot in my heart for Debi. We would like to show you a description here but the site won't allow us. Brian Van der Hoeven (Only RP Spanish) See Photos Brian Hogan See Photos Brian Hogan See Photos Loading more results. But I told him that if that were true, I wouldnt have won at the national championships (a month before the Olympics). During her career she won numerous prestigious competitions, and became one of the best figure skaters of all time, for which she was inducted into the Figure Skating Hall of Fame in 2000. She did two surgical residencies, one at the University of Arkansas Medical Sciences Hospital and one at the Charles Drew University Medical Center in South Central Los Angeles. 2 years later they divorced in 1991. As an indication of the rift between Thomas and McGowan, she did not tell him, even though he was preparing her for the world championships in Budapest a month after the Olympics. In 1991 she graduated from Stanford University with a degree in engineering. Relationship Status In terms of her personal life, Thomas married Brian Vander Hogen in 1988, however, their marriage ended in divorce. Relationships Brian Vanden Hogen was previously married to Debi Thomas (1988 - 1991). Inside the Figure Skaters' Off-Ice Relationship, Caitlyn Jenner Feels That 'Old Bruce' Still 'Lives Inside Her - Kids Call Her Dad Even After Transition. Help us build our profile of Brian Vanden Hogen! In 1986 she won the U.S. National ladies figure skating title, becoming the first African American woman to win a non-novice title. Olympian mentality is rough because you just get frustrated with how everybody does everything, Debi explained of her behavior. He said that she did not mean disrespect to Witt or Manley. She again blamed her coach, Alex McGowan, saying that he distracted her with his remarks before she went onto the ice. She moved in with Jamie into his trailer, filed bankruptcy, and let her medical license expire. She felt that she had disappointed millions of American people. Debis coach knew she had talent, but instead of quitting school to dedicate one hundred percent to skating like other young athletes, Debi transferred to a high school that was closer to a skating rink in Redwood City, California. I have often thought about Debbie Thomas, and wondered to what extent that harsh reality shaped her mind. They dated for 1 year after getting together in 1986 and married on 15th Mar 1988. Here I was at the Olympics, and I didnt feel like I was at the Olympics, she said. The only other time she had put skating ahead of school, when she was a 13-year-old eighth-grader in San Jose, the result was the most miserable year of her life. Clipping found in Green Bay Press-Gazette in Green Bay, Wisconsin on Feb 20, 1998. debi thomas brian vanden hogen For her, everything had to be done with excellence.. For her personal life, it is known that Thomas married Brian Vander Hogen in 1988 but their marriage ended in divorce. To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them. Warmer storms could cause problems, Water polo is a mix-match gumbo of sports with some brutality on the side, Peace Village, a fake city just outside the DMZ, serves as metaphor for North Korean athletes at the Olympics, Kerrigan Moves to Top, While Harding Falters, Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier take pairs gold at U.S. View the profiles of people named Brian Hogan. The couple also has a son from the wedlock by the name of Christopher Jules who was born in 1997. All Rights Reserved. Then, on the podium for the awards ceremony, she ignored the rules of sportsmanship, failing to acknowledge Witt, the gold medalist, and Manley, the silver medalist, even when they tried to congratulate her for winning the bronze medal. She first got married to Brian Vander Hogenbut got divorced, and later she married to Chris Bequette. If ever the word champion fit a figure skater, it was Debi Thomas. Again, she pointed a finger at McGowan. They divorced. Thomas attended Stanford University in California while continuing her training in figure skating. In 1996, she married Chris Bequette, a sports attorney, and they had a son before divorcing. The film also featured performances by Zakk Wylde, Jason Bonham, Myles Kennedy, Blas Elias and Nick Catanese. Debi became the first black athlete to win any medal at the Winter Olympics, and she then won the World Professional Championships, and again two years after that. To speak further of her accomplishments as a figure skater, Debi won the Bronze Medal at the Winter Olympics in Calgary 1988, after which she retired from amateur figure skating, but participated in professional events, including the World Professional Championships in 1988, which she won as a part of the Stars On Ice skating group. Yet, almost a year ago to this day, on the next-to-last night of the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, Canada, Thomas, by her own admission, neither skated nor behaved like a champion. I thought amateur skating was hard, she said. Her agent, Jay Ogden of the International Management Group, said that is the reason she seemed so distant during the awards ceremony. However she did not get serious and begin taking lessons until she was nine years old. She also lost custody of her son due to poor living conditions. Thomas, who turned 21 Friday, broke the news immediately after her appearance in the closing show of the championships. Later in the year, she was given the National Coalition of 100 Black Women Candace Award for Trailblazing. That same year, Debi was named ABCs Wide World of Sports Athlete of the Year. She finally decided that even if she missed, she would have plenty of time to recover. If so, that is a side of her that she does not reveal publicly. I now hear about the notoriety of our newest gymnastic star, Ms. Biles, and I hope and pray that she is never subjected to those same attitudes. She won the senior title in the U.S nationals, and the gold medal in the world championship, describing that last victory as probably one of the best experiences that Ive ever had in skating.". The best result we found for your search is Brian J Hogan age 50s in Erie, CO. Unfortunately, Thomas was bested again as Witt took the Gold, and Elizabeth Manley from Canada took the Silver. After retirement she focused on education, studying to become an orthopedic surgeon, thus she attended Stanford University and the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. She said that he convinced her to drop out of Stanford last winter, move to Boulder, Colo., and devote all of her energy to preparing for the Olympics. If you compare what I made before the Olympics and what Im making now, Im doing pretty well, Thomas said. In the end I think Debi, as well as the rest of us learn some really valuable life lessons, especially through hardship. Figure Skating Championship and took fifth place in the World Championship. As a fellow Northwestern Medical School alumnus, I reached out to her to ask about her experience with athletes vertigo in certain sports. As the first black skater to achieve international, or even national, prominence, she was a champion, however reluctant, of minorities. They had a son, Luc Bequette (b. What would she need to do to be accepted and respected? She was also the first African American to earn the U.S. national titles in ladies singles figure skating. Less forgivable was the fact that Thomas, whose greatest attribute besides her athleticism was her competitiveness, all but quit on the ice, going through the motions after it became apparent to her that she was not at her best. In fact, Thomas began a relationship shortly after arriving in Boulder with a University of Colorado student, Brian Vanden Hogen. After the show aired, Debi said they blew things out of proportion to make her, and her fianc, Jamie, look bad. But dont call her the GOAT, Elliott: Nathan Chens fire still burns thanks to his mother and others who inspire him, 2022 Beijing Olympics: A day-by-day recap of the 24th Winter Games, Elliott: U.S.-Canada Rivalry Series shows how womens hockey needs more support to flourish, Elliott: Cayla Barnes golden career finally skates home to SoCal in USA-Canada series, Elliott: My medals are my armor. Jordan Chiles persistence guides her pursuit of greatness. Debra Janine Thomas was born in Poughkeepsie, New York, in 1967. Senior Project Leader driving strategic, operational, capital works and infrastructure planning to improve operating efficiencies and profit improvement.Ability to analyse complex and diverse. The next year she returned even more ready to turn things around in both events. To me she just seemed like a really nice person who loved to skate. After being detained, a psychological evaluation gave Debi a bipolar disorder diagnosis. Are Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue Dating? Inducted into the U.S. I think a lot of Americans, including her coach put a lot of pressure on her. It was a struggle. The couple has one son, Christopher Jules, who was born in 1997. It was a fall greater than any she had ever taken on the ice, this fall from grace. I had several patients with severe vertigo and was looking to use some of the desensitization techniques that have since come into practice. There will be a tour of Europe following the world championships and then there will be another tour in the United States until June. Afterward, at a press conference, she did not take responsibility for her failure to win, instead blaming her coach of 10 years. Debi Thomas is a part of US Black history. Speaking about her personal life, Debi Thomas has been married twice. Thomas was born in Poughkeepsie, New York, in 1967 and first started skating around the age of five. Figure Skating Championships in Denver, 1988 | Photo: GettyImages. IMPORTANT PRIVACY NOTICE & DISCLAIMER: YOU HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO USE CAUTION WHEN DISTRIBUTING PRIVATE INFORMATION. 'I'm facing probably nine years of study - it's like starting skating all over again,' she said. She answered all of them. School was my way of getting away from things. She lost it months before, when she discovered that she no longer was receiving the same satisfaction from skating as she had in the past. Sign Up Log In Messenger Facebook Lite Watch Places Games Marketplace Facebook Pay Oculus Portal Instagram Bulletin Local Fundraisers Services Voting Information Center Groups Groups Directory Locations Page Categories People She was the first Black athlete to win a medal at a Winter Olympics. Thomas said she has to go back home and work hard for her exams, so she can enter medical school. As for the skating, everyone, except perhaps Thomas, could forgive that. The 8th Annual Black Achievement Awards (1987)as Herself, The Official 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics Video (1988)as Herself / American Figure Skater Bronze Medalist, Bud Greenspan's Favorite Stories of Winter Olympic Glory (2002)as Herself, Your email address will not be published. Get this The Des Moines Register page for free from Wednesday, March 30, 1988 band By JULIE HUTCHINSON 1988 Knight-Ridder Newspapers " DENVER, COLO. - They hugged so hard you could almost hear . In 1997 she graduated from the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. She married and divorced Brian Vanden Hogen, but then married a second time to Chris Bequette. Around that time, the father of a patient asked her out. My coach really felt that if he could get me out there alone, away from school, that I would be like a robot and do whatever he wanted, she said. Bud Greenspan's Favorite Stories of Winter Olympic Glory, The Official 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics Video, Herself / American Figure Skater Bronze Medalist.