It's been more than 20 years since the infamous attack on Olympic figure skating star Nancy
Kerrigan, but her dramatic story is making headlines again following the release of the
critically-acclaimed I, Tonya.
But while the rest of the world resurrects the scandalous story of skater Tonya Harding's
ex-husband reportedly hiring a man to club Kerrigan in the knee, Kerrigan herself has
since skirted the spotlight.
So, why the radio silence?
We've got the details.
Giving up pro skating
Following her silver medal win at the '94 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer — which she
earned a mere seven weeks after the attack on her knee – Kerrigan retired from competitive
ice skating at the age of 25.
But she left on a high note, earning millions of dollars in endorsements, thanks in part
to her manager (and now husband) Jerry Solomon.
Threats on her life
Kerrigan reportedly received threats on her life during the '94 Olympic Games, prompting
her to bail before the closing ceremony.
But according to UPI, some fans didn't believe the threats were real, and attributed Kerrigan's
early exit to a media contract with Disney, noting that she showed up to a parade at Disney
World instead of attending closing ceremonies.
Kerrigan told the Daily Mail in 2013 that on top of crushing media scrutiny, she was,
indeed, receiving threats.
She even claims she was asked to leave Lillehammer by the King of Norway via a message that deemed
her "a security risk."
The harsh spotlight
Though many now categorize the Kerrigan versus Harding era as a classic battle of good versus
evil, it was Kerrigan who suffered intense backlash following her injury and Olympic
success.
The athlete was heavily scrutinized for relatively benign comments made in the presence of hot
mics.
In one instance, during a Disney World parade, she was overheard saying,
While it might be true, the emotional whiplash of a one-time "media darling" recast as a
"graceless diva" seemed to drive Kerrigan out of the spotlight.
Dancing With the Stars bomb
Kerrigan took on the most high-profile gig she's had since her Olympic days by competing
on Dancing With the Stars in 2017.
But she wasn't the champion on the ballroom floor that she once was on the ice.
The skater was eliminated in week seven, which distinguished her as the only former figure
skater to have competed on the show and not make it into the top five, according to NBC
Sports.
But Kerrigan told Good Morning America that the experience was invaluable, saying she
now knows,
"We are so capable of doing more than we think
we are."
Low-key performing
Though she hasn't skated competitively in a long time, Kerrigan hasn't hung up the skates
completely.
She's even participated in shows as recently as early 2017, telling Parade,
"I still do some things here and there, but I'm mainly the driver for the kids at home,
so it's a little limited."
Kerrigan told Entertainment Tonight, "I don't even really skate much anymore."
"Really?"
"Well, I'm a mom, I have three kids, and I'm in my car driving around, driving them to
where they need to go."
"All the time!"
"Yeah, all the time."
Family tragedy
Kerrigan suffered a devastating personal tragedy in 2010 when her brother, Mark Kerrigan, was
incarcerated in connection to the passing of her father, Daniel Kerrigan.
According to the New York Daily News, Mark was found guilty of assault and battery after
he put his hands around Daniel's neck, triggering a fatal heart attack.
Kerrigan defended her brother on Today, saying, "He shouldn't have been charged.
I mean, my dad had a heart attack, and that's that."
Since the verdict, Kerrigan says her family has done their best to move on, together.
Giving back
Kerrigan is a spokesperson for the Foundation Fighting Blindness and raises money for the
vision-impaired through the Nancy Kerrigan Foundation.
Her work with the foundation is personal, as Kerrigan's mother, Brenda, is blind.
In addition, Kerrigan executive produced Why Don't You Lose 5 Pounds?, a documentary about
eating disorders in athletes.
Kerrigan told ABC News that she struggled with anorexia through the '94 Winter Games,
unknowingly dropping 15 pounds before competing.
"My world was completely out of control.
Like a little bit… it was crazy."
Priorities
As of 2017, Kerrigan's kids are 19, 12, and 9 years old, and outside of her very selective
figure skating performances, they are her world.
During an emotional segment on Dancing With the Stars, she opened up about her heartbreaking
journey to grow her family.
Kerrigan revealed that she suffered six miscarriages in the eight years following the birth of
her first son, Matthew.
She told People she relied on in vitro fertilization to conceive her second and third children,
Brian and Nicole.
"I always wanted to have three kids by the time I was thirty, sort of like what my mom
had done."
Kerrigan says these days ice-skating takes a backseat to her children.
And she shares some inspiring life advice with them, too:
"Never give up.
Keep trying.
If you have hope in your heart, you can persevere.
I know it's hard sometimes to have it, but it's important."
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