Gymnast Gabby Douglas' mom filed for bankruptcy

[Man Ataye]

Related ContentThis combination of Thursday, Aug. …
NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — Court records show that the mother of Olympic gymnast Gabby Douglas filed for bankruptcy earlier this year in Virginia.

The filing was first reported by TMZ, a day after it was revealed that the parents of fellow U.S. Olympian Ryan Lochte were facing foreclosure in Florida.

Documents filed in January in the Eastern District of Virginia show Douglas' mother, Natalie Hawkins, filed for Chapter 13 bankruptcy, which allows people to reorganize their finances and pay down debt over several years.

Douglas has been one of the most popular athletes at the Olympics in London, becoming the first African-American woman to win an all-around gold medal in gymnastics. The 4-foot-11 16-year-old taken home two gold medals so far and has become an international superstar, winning over fans with her smile and the nickname "Flying Squirrel."

The gymnast's agent has fielded hundreds of emails from businesses, talk shows and magazines interested in Douglas, and she's already slated to appear on the cover of a Corn Flakes box. She stands to earn millions of dollars from endorsement deals and other ventures. Douglas has been training for two years in Iowa and hasn't been home to Virginia Beach since then.




This combination of Thursday, Aug. 2, 2012 photos shows Natalie Hawkins, left, and her daughter, U.S. gymnast Gabrielle Douglas at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. Documents filed in January 2012 in the Eastern District of Virginia show Natalie Hawkins filed for Chapter 13 bankruptcy, which allows a person to reorganize their finances and pay down debt over several years.

The bankruptcy filings list Hawkins as having assets totaling $163,706, with a townhouse in Virginia Beach and a 2007 Nissan Maxima accounting for the bulk of it.

Hawkins said the bankruptcy filing allowed her "to still be able to live and reorganize my debt in such a way that I could still pay what I owed."

"It's my story, it's part of me. I'm not even embarrassed about it," Hawkins said Sunday in London. "It shows that even though I didn't like to have to do it, I'm glad there was something there for me to be able to protect my home."

Hawkins also lists roughly $80,000 in debts. The bulk of that is from her mortgage. Hawkins is separated from her husband and lists about $2,500 in income a month, which comes from Social Security disability benefits and child support, according to the documents.

Natalie Hawkins went on long-term medical disability in 2009, and there were six months when the single mother of four had little to no income. In addition to mortgage payments for her home, there were expenses for Douglas' training and her other three children.

An order issued in March says Hawkins is to pay $400 a month toward her debts over a nearly five-year period.

http://news.yahoo.com/gymnast-gabby-dou ... tml?_esi=1

[mcal]

...Donald Trump filed for bankruptcy, now is that a crime?

[realtrouble]

Where is the father of her children?

Did she drive her husband out of the house or did he leave her and the children?

[Mr. Piffington]

Where is the father of her children?

Did she drive her husband out of the house or did he leave her and the children?

They are divorced. He serves in the armed forces and he's currently overseas.

[phantomjournalist]

Well, Gabby is going to get a glut of endorsements after these games, so money shouldn't be a problem for much longer (provided they manage it tactfully).

[omey2k4]

Kellogs is getting her a $90m deal,she is good,but why is this news though?People file for bankruptcy everyday

[metalalloy]

Kellogs is getting her a $90m deal,she is good,but why is this news though?People file for bankruptcy everyday

exactly.

[sabb]

limelight news, no biggy

[tfco]

Kellogs is getting her a $90m deal,she is good,but why is this news though?People file for bankruptcy everyday

exactly.

some forumers are into the TMZ crap.

I beg the virgin OP watches Ent Tonight and stuff.

[Man Ataye]

Kellogs is getting her a $90m deal,she is good,but why is this news though?People file for bankruptcy everyday

exactly.

some forumers are into the TMZ crap.

I beg the virgin OP watches Ent Tonight and stuff.

Midget besides being a pesky troll and throwing ya stunted ( i mean limited) lines to kofo, can u not contribute to a thread???????????

[CMS]

I don't blame her. Do you know how much it costs to put a kid in Gymnastics in the USA? She took a gamble and it paid off. Kudos to her. Most black families in the USA will not take such a chance. If any of my children have such a potential, I'll do the same, regardless of she wins it all or not. I would not want go through life wondering if and what could have. My Mom (RIP) would have done the same. I cannot even begin to count the sacrifices she made for us. Where do I even start.

[ElHadary]

CMS - Gabby's not the same as "other girls" she was a prodigy since the age of 5.

[omey2k4]

CMS - Gabby's not the same as "other girls" she was a prodigy since the age of 5.

Tell am oh

[blueangel]

I don't blame her. Do you know how much it costs to put a kid in Gymnastics in the USA? She took a gamble and it paid off. Kudos to her. Most black families in the USA will not take such a chance. If any of my children have such a potential, I'll do the same, regardless of she wins it all or not. I would not want go through life wondering if and what could have. My Mom (RIP) would have done the same. I cannot even begin to count the sacrifices she made for us. Where do I even start.

I beg to disagree
Many Parents, both single & not, have made same and more sacrifices and it Did Not Work Out.
The kids never made it or were not good enough.

We Only hear of Success Stories.

[mcal]

I don't blame her. Do you know how much it costs to put a kid in Gymnastics in the USA? She took a gamble and it paid off. Kudos to her. Most black families in the USA will not take such a chance. If any of my children have such a potential, I'll do the same, regardless of she wins it all or not. I would not want go through life wondering if and what could have. My Mom (RIP) would have done the same. I cannot even begin to count the sacrifices she made for us. Where do I even start.

I beg to disagree
Many Parents, both single & not, have made same and more sacrifices and it Did Not Work Out.
The kids never made it or were not good enough.

We Only hear of Success Stories.

...well it's not a gaurantee they will all make it. Look at say, American football, how they start out at high school to college to pro. By the time it gets up there the numbers wittle down thru drop outs.

[Mudi E]

But that her mom get boobs for days sha...

[CMS]

I don't blame her. Do you know how much it costs to put a kid in Gymnastics in the USA? She took a gamble and it paid off. Kudos to her. Most black families in the USA will not take such a chance. If any of my children have such a potential, I'll do the same, regardless of she wins it all or not. I would not want go through life wondering if and what could have. My Mom (RIP) would have done the same. I cannot even begin to count the sacrifices she made for us. Where do I even start.

I beg to disagree
Many Parents, both single & not, have made same and more sacrifices and it Did Not Work Out.
The kids never made it or were not good enough.

We Only hear of Success Stories.

...well it's not a gaurantee they will all make it. Look at say, American football, how they start out at high school to college to pro. By the time it gets up there the numbers wittle down thru drop outs.

Abeg tell am so.. Did you miss a part of my post?

[CMS]

CMS - Gabby's not the same as "other girls" she was a prodigy since the age of 5.

That was not my point. So many prodigies that did not make it. Its not a guarantee. The point was that the parents were willing to invest in her and took a gamble. Not too many will do that. They will ask the child to take the easier way out. Gymnastics is not cheap in the US you know.

[mcal]

...the Williams sisters is another example. Their father up rooted them from Compton California to resident and train in Florida, well the rest na history as they say. Tiger Wood story we know that too, his father's investment and discipline got him up there.

[MI5]

I see that too.. Fine sexy lady... Those eyes of her na fire ... Very happy for her and Gabby....

But that her mom get boobs for days sha...

[mate]

This is interesting from the perspective of how much public funding should be available to potential athletes. Is private funding enough? A Russian official said recently that his country is under performing because Russia is stuck between a Chinese public funding approach and an American private funding approach.

I'm hearing more often that US sports aren't funded well enough due to the economy, although I haven't confirmed this.

But, I agree that it shouldn't cost a fortune for a family to prepare their child for potential Olympic competition.

Cheers, Mate