Scott Hamilton

Scott Scovell Hamilton (born August 28, 1958) is an American figure skater and Olympic gold medalist known for his originality and engaging on-ice personalities.

Childhood

He was adopted at the age of six weeks by Ernest and Dorothy Hamilton of Bowling Green, Ohio. He has two siblings, older sister Susan and younger brother Steven (also adopted).

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When Scott was just two years old he contracted a mysterious illness that caused him to stop growing. After numerous tests and several false diagnoses (including a diagnosis of cystic fibrosis that gave the boy just six months to live), the disease began to correct itself. It was never properly diagnosed and it is not known what corrected it; whether it was the latest of multiple diets his doctors had suggested or whether it was all the vigorous exercise he was suddenly getting from taking up figure skating. Whatever the cause, he began to grow again (although he never grew very tall).

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He was now passionate about his skating and at age 13 began training with Pierre Brunet, a former Olympic champion. In 1976, however, he was forced to quit skating and enroll in college due to financial difficulties. However, an anonymous couple stepped in to provide financial support for Scott to continue his training.

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