Olympic gold medalist Kristi Yamaguchi has broken her silence about her divorce from former NHL player Bret Hedican, revealing the couple's amicable separation after 23 years of marriage.
In an exclusive interview with People magazine, the figure skating legend confirmed that she and Hedican divorced last year, emphasizing there were no hard feelings between them. The couple, who share two daughters—Keara, 22, and Emma, 20—came to the decision together.
“After 23 years together, we had an amazing marriage and loving family—especially bringing up our two daughters together—but I think it got to a point where we amicably thought maybe we aren’t at our happiest and we’d be happier separating,” Yamaguchi told People. “We decided to separate and eventually divorce.”
Yamaguchi and Hedican first met at the 1992 Winter Olympics, where she made history by becoming the first Asian-American to win a gold medal in figure skating at the Winter Games, while he competed for Team USA's hockey team. They married in 2000 and built a life centered around sports and family, often skating together with their daughters.
Now, with both daughters in college and the divorce finalized, Yamaguchi is embracing a new chapter in her life. She expressed optimism about the future, whether that involves dating again or exploring new personal opportunities.
“I'm looking forward to what is around the corner, or what the future could look like,” she said. “There’s a lot of life left to live, whether it's starting to date or new relationships, but also just personally enjoying where I am right now and the opportunities ahead.”
Yamaguchi also reflected on her role as a mother, describing the bittersweet joy of watching her daughters pursue their own dreams.
“Being a mom and seeing them grow up and pursuing their own passions now, it’s been very rewarding and fun to see happen,” she shared. “It’s bittersweet because you feel, as a mom, they’ve grown up so fast. You so vividly remember them as toddlers, starting grade school and those moments. But, it’s so fulfilling to see how they’ve grown up and are going after their dreams now.”
Despite the end of her marriage, Yamaguchi holds no regrets, cherishing the memories they created as a family while looking forward to building new ones on her own terms.