Debi Thomas

[ponta1]

What an amazing woman Dr. Thomas is!!

[Garden Kitty]

[QUOTE=aftershocks;3174719 I've never had the opportunity to meet Debi Thomas. In any case, I realize that not everyone has the same approachability and outgoing, engaging personality when meeting fans.[/QUOTE]

I met Debi at Worlds in LA and it's so nice when people you admire exceed your expectations. She was incredibly sweet and down to earth. At one point she apologized for standing in front of me and blocking my vew for a minute - and here I was just staing at her the whole time

When I talked to her later in the night, she was so warm - not an over the top bubbly, effusiveness, but a genuine politeness and appreciation for her fans.

[VALuvsMKwan]

I met Debi at Worlds in LA and it's so nice when people you admire exceed your expectations. She was incredibly sweet and down to earth. At one point she apologized for standing in front of me and blocking my vew for a minute - and here I was just staing at her the whole time

When I talked to her later in the night, she was so warm - not an over the top bubbly, effusiveness, but a genuine politeness and appreciation for her fans.

That is lovely to hear. I was a huge fan of Debi's back in the day and it's nice to know, as you say, that someone one admires is at least as nice a person as one hopes and expects her/him to be.

[paskatefan]

Michelle especially was so kind when I met her in 1998 at World Pros -- she looks you right in the eye as if you are someone who matters. Also, Todd Eldredge I particularly found to be so sweet, such a gentleman and so appreciative of fans' interest in him and his skating. I've never had the opportunity to meet Debi Thomas. In any case, I realize that not everyone has the same approachability and outgoing, engaging personality when meeting fans.

Thanks! Our experiences with both of them were very similar.

We haven't had the opportunity to meet Debi "up close & personal" either, but we did get to see her at the Caesar's Tribute to the Golden Age of US Figure Skating in December. I sent her a private message on Facebook, mentioning how much we loved the show, and I also expressed the hope that TPTB would consider releasing a DVD of the entire show (7 performances were "chacked" in the original broadcast!). She thanked me for the message and encouraged me to spread the word along to my skating fan buddies to contact Jerry Solomon (CEO of Stargames) for this. I would love to meet her "up close" some day.

[aftershocks]

Oh, that's great to hear, paskatefan! Thanks for sharing this information. Debi has always struck me as someone who appreciates her fans, and she seems to also be someone who is modest about her achievements (and sometimes a little too hard on herself as well). What an interesting and accomplished life she has had, albeit with some heartaches. She should feel very proud.

Debi's apparent modesty reminds me of the recent Michelle Kwan article, where Michelle speaks of wanting to strive to be "a good citizen, a good daughter ... and to make a positive impact on people's lives." Amazing quote, as of course Michelle has already done that and then some. At such a young age, she's achieved more than most people will in a lifetime. It is very revealing, and also a lesson in there too (as I mentioned in that thread): Don't rest on your laurels, and don't believe all the accolades and superlatives that come your way.

ETA: Thanks to Garden Kitty, too, for your reminisces of meeting Debi!