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Legendary ice skater Scott Hamilton, who became the United States’ first Olympic gold medalist in men’s figure skating in 1984, says he will never step on the ice again.
Is it because it’s sacred to slip and break your back? Is it possible that his ankle is broken?
none of the above.
“You know, when you get to a certain age…I’m 67 now, and no one wants to see a 67-year-old man in spandex — I say that in all caps — no one,” he told PEOPLE with a laugh.
He may no longer perform triple axels in tight suits and sequins, but he’s still very involved in the world of skating.
Next February, Hamilton will be in Milan for the 2026 Winter Olympics, bringing his signature vibrancy and joy to the broadcast booth, and on November 23, he will perform at the annual Scott Hamilton and Friends fundraiser, which combines music and ice skating to raise money for the CARES Foundation.
John A. Russell
Figure skaters rocking the rink this year include Olympians Jeremy Abbott, Nathan Chen, Keegan Messing, Mariah Bell, Polina Edmunds, Sinead Kerr Marshall and partner John Kerr, and viral sensations Elajj Balde and Maxim Naumov.
“We also have lead singers from Loverboy, Chicago, Journey, Kansas and REO Speedwagon,” he says of this year’s musical performers, all of whom will join to form one superband for the night.
“In the past, I would have died just to get a backstage pass to meet these people, see them, be in the same vicinity. But now I’m producing them on my own show. I’m like, ‘Are you kidding me?!'”
Hamilton’s CARES Foundation partners with cancer research centers that focus on treatments that don’t leave patients with lasting harm. It’s a mission close to Hamilton’s heart after recovering from prostate cancer in 1997.
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Robert F. Bucati/AP Photo
“Chemotherapy, traditional radiation, and all the traditionally used surgeries have long caused harm to patients. We want to partner with like-minded organizations to elevate specific cancer research, including immunotherapy, targeted therapy, proton therapy, and anything that treats cancer and reduces harm for patients,” explains Hamilton.
Scott Hamilton CARES Foundation
He says everything he’s seen over the years as a funder and activist gives him a positive outlook on the future of cancer care.
“Everything I’ve learned, everything I’ve seen, everything I’ve witnessed, everything I believe to be true, is that there will probably come a time in my lifetime, and I’m 67 years old, so I don’t have many decades left, but there will come a day when no one dies of cancer.”
