The 1990s were a dynamic era for Olympic figure skating, marked by captivating narratives that captured global attention. Perhaps the most infamous incident occurred in 1994 when Nancy Kerrigan fell victim to a shocking attack. An assailant, linked to her competitor Tonya Harding, struck Kerrigan on her lower right thigh with a baton, creating a media spectacle.

Despite being forced to withdraw from the U.S. Championships due to her injury, Kerrigan made a remarkable recovery. She competed in the 1994 Winter Olympics in Norway, where she secured the silver medal for the United States. Tonya Harding also participated in the same Olympics, though her career soon faced a downturn as the USFSA imposed a lifetime ban on her from competitive events.

That year also witnessed the rise of a new star, as 16-year-old Oksana Baiul delivered an almost perfect free skate, earning her the gold medal and edging out Kerrigan. China’s Chen Lu claimed the bronze, while France’s Surya Bonaly narrowly missed the podium, finishing fourth. Bonaly returned to the spotlight at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan, where she left a lasting impression.

After a stumble on a triple jump, Bonaly gathered herself and executed an impromptu backflip, a move only she could land on one leg at the time. Even today, she remains the singular figure skater capable of completing the flip on one blade. Although the maneuver was against the rules and resulted in a penalty, it has since become an iconic moment in the annals of figure skating.

After falling on a triple jump, she regained her composure and went into a spontaneous backflip. At the time, Bonaly was the only skater in the world capable of successfully landing that on one leg. Today, she remains the only person able to land the flip on one blade. Although the move was illegal and she was penalized, it became an iconic moment in figure skating history. 

While Bonaly did not medal at the Olympics, she enjoyed a successful career, winning dozens of other major competitions. She is a three-time World silver medalist, a five-time European Champion, the 1991 World Junior Champion, and a nine-time French National Champion.

However, the medals that she won in all those events are now missing following a break-in at her Las Vegas home.

Bonaly shared that news via social media on Nov. 8, stating that two people burglarized her house and stole all of her medals. To make matters even sadder, Bonlay was away from her home, caring for her cancer-stricken mother. Bonaly was in Minnesota with her mom, who is battling lung, breast, and sternum cancer. Bonaly is also undergoing treatment for breast cancer herself.

Security camera footage from her home, located about seven miles west of the Las Vegas strip, captured what she described as a “well-organized burglary.” A local TV station obtained the footage, which shows the individuals shattering Bonaly’s windows. They even cut the WiFi during their calculated break-in. The video showed a figure in a black hoodie next to a woman who appeared to be wearing a delivery vest, breaking into her home.

“I think it’s definitely organized by a company or by some bad people,” Bonaly said. “I feel mad; I feel like sometimes I feel like I want to cry. Some people just feel like it’s better to steal something from someone than to go to work.”

In her Instagram post, she requested that if the public, including pawn shop employees, come across the medals, to contact the police.