After the U.S. figure skating delegation was wiped out by a plane crash en route to the 1961 World Championships, Italian Coach Carlo Fassi was brought to the United States to rebuild the program.
Carol Heiss won a silver medal at the Cortina d'Ampezzo 1956 Olympic Winter Games, then won four consecutive U.S. and World championships and gold at the Squaw Valley 1960 Olympic Winter Games.
Doctors were unable to determine the cause of Scott Hamilton's childhood illness; but his recovery included ice skating -- the impetus for his gold medal at the Sarajevo 1984 Olympic Winter Games.
Dorothy Hamill inspired a generation of girls. With her bob haircut and peaceful nature, Hamill was brilliant, skating to the ladies' singles gold medal at the Innsbruck 1976 Olympic Winter Games.
Peggy Fleming made her Olympic debut at the Innsbruck 1964 Olympic Winter Games and won gold at the Grenoble 1968 Olympic Winter Games. She is credited with reviving American figure skating.
Figure skater Brian Boitano put on the performance of his life at the Calgary 1988 Olympic Winter Games, defeating rival Brian Orser of Canada to win the gold medal.
Tenley Albright contracted polio at age 11 and doctors wondered whether she would walk again. Six years later, she won an Olympic silver medal in figure skating and would win gold four years after that.
