Scott Hamilton (figure Skater) - Childhood

Childhood

Hamilton was born in Ohio. He adopted at the age of six weeks by Dorothy (née McIntosh), a professor and Ernest S. Hamilton, a professor of biology, and raised in Bowling Green, Ohio. He has two siblings, older sister Susan (his parents' biological daughter) and younger brother Steven (who was also adopted). He attended Kenwood Elementary School. When Scott was two years old he contracted a mysterious illness that caused him to stop growing. After numerous tests and several wrong diagnoses (including a diagnosis of cystic fibrosis that gave him just six months to live), the disease began to correct itself. His family physician sent him to Boston Children's hospital to see a Dr. Shwachman. Sources are unable to verify if he was actually diagnosed by Dr. Shwachman as having Shwachman-Diamond syndrome. It is said that a special diet and exercise cured the problem. At the peak of his amateur career Hamilton weighed 108 pounds (49 kg) and was 5 feet 2.5 inches (1.59 m) tall, but eventually grew to a reported height of 5 feet 6 inches (1.68 m). Scott attended Bowling Green State University in Ohio.

At age 13 he began training with Pierre Brunet, a former Olympic champion. In 1976 however, he was almost forced to quit skating because the cost of training was too high, and he enrolled in college. However, Helen and Frank McLoraine stepped in to provide financial support for Hamilton to continue his training. Hamilton would later work with the McLoraines in continuing philanthropic support for figure skating.