By Phil PerryCSNNE.com The sound is what everyone remembers. Nancy Kerrigan laid on the ground, reaching for her leg and called out, “Why?” Over and over again she shrieked through her tears, “Why? Why? Why?”
Kerrigan was one of the United States’ premier figure skaters in the early 1990s and was preparing for the 1994 U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Detroit when her attacker struck her in the leg just above the knee with a collapsible police baton. She suffered a contusion and was knocked out of the event. By that point in her career, Kerrigan had already won an Olympic bronze medal (1992) and at the time of her attack in January of 1994, she seemed poised to be named to the U.S. Olympic team for the Winter Games in Lillehammer, Norway. Some thought she'd win gold. But for the 24-year-old from Stoneham, Mass., everything was put on hold when she got whacked. The question became not only “Why?” but “Who?” As in, who would do such a thing? Tonya Harding – Kerrigan's rival who was also one of the favorites in the upcoming Olympics – was quickly implicated. Days after the attack, Harding’s bodyguard Shawn Eckhardt admitted to authorities that he and Harding’s ex-husband Jeff Gillooly had hatched a plan to attack Kerrigan. The hit man, Shane Stant, and his getaway car driver were also convicted. Harding claimed to have no knowledge of the thuggery. Despite her injury, Kerrigan was selected to the Olympic team, and despite the controversy, so was Harding. As the investigation continued, Harding eventually pleaded guilty to conspiracy to hinder an investigation and was banned from U.S. Figure Skating Association competitions.
