Thanks to golden-voiced hobo sensation Ted Williams, the media has been locked in on vagrant diamonds in the rough. And while it doesn’t quite match the brilliance of sending a reporter out to make homeless people sing, AOL News recently discovered that Debbie Clark is homeless. If you’re like me, you’re fluent in every romantic language, but you also just asked, “Who is Debbie Clark?” She was Storm on “American Gladiators” from 1991-93 and an Olympic handball competitor. And don’t say, “Ohhhh…” because you didn’t know that.
Storm has been homeless in San Diego for over 2 years, after she left South Carolina due to a situation of domestic violence. She describes how things were great during her 3-year run on the original “Gladiators”, as she made $1,500 per episode and rubbed elbows with celebrities. But that all came to an end when she blew out her ACL and she never recovered properly…
“I’ve been drinking more than I’d like,” she admitted.
And while she is 20 years away from her greatest glory, she is still recognized.
“I’ve been recognized, and while it’s been humiliating, people still look up to me as a role model,” she said. That’s why she says she helped teach boxing at one of the homeless shelters before her knee problems made it impossible. (AOL News)
Storm cited a number of obstacles she’s run into as she’s tried to reestablish her professional career, including shady homeless programs and the lack of family support. It’s almost as if every time she climbs to the top, someone grabs her and throws her back down. And then shoots a tennis ball at her.
“Storm” as a Role Model
