Whatever Happened To USA Figure Skating Star Kristi Yamaguchi?

Posted by Sebrina Pilcher on Tuesday, May 7, 2024

Kristi Yamaguchi founded the Always Dream Foundation in 1996, an organization that gives low-income families access to books and educational materials to improve literacy. In an interview with USA Today, Yamaguchi talked about the inspiration behind creating the foundation. She said that she had to find something else to do after participating in the Olympics. "My mom and dad were active community members — still are — and my mom would ask me, 'What are you going to do now to give back?'" Yamaguchi said that she loved working with children, and that's how she came up with the idea. "That's the legacy of 'Always Dream,' that it put more purpose in my life than just being a former athlete," she said.

Yamaguchi married former hockey player Brett Hedican in 2000, and they have two daughters together. Her youngest daughter, Emma, took interest in ice skating and is now coached by Yamaguchi's former skating partner, Rudy Galindo (via AmoMama). She resides in California and is focused on her foundation and her family. She also tries her best to stay fit and healthy. In November 2021, she told USA Today that she enrolled in kung fu classes to keep her mind and body active.

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