Gymnast Gabby Douglas' mom filed for bankruptcy

Gymnast Gabby Douglas' mom filed for bankruptcy

Court records show that the mother of Olympic gymnast GabbyDouglas filed for bankruptcy earlier this year in Virginia.
The filing was first reported by TMZ, a day after it was revealed that theparents of fellow U.S. Olympian Ryan Lochte were facing foreclosure in Florida.
Documents filed in January in Virginia show Douglas' mother, Natalie Hawkins,filed for Chapter 13 bankruptcy, which allows people to reorganize theirfinances and pay down debt over several years.
Douglas has been one of the most popular athletes at the Olympics in London, becomingthe first African-American woman to win an all-around gold medal in gymnastics.The 4-foot-11 inch (1.5-meter) 16-year-old taken home two gold medals so farand has become an international superstar, winning over fans with her smile andthe nickname "Flying Squirrel."
The gymnast's agent has fielded hundreds of emails from businesses, talk showsand magazines interested in Douglas, and she's already slated to appear on thecover of a Corn Flakes box. She stands to earn millions of dollars from endorsementdeals and other ventures. Douglas has been training for two years in Iowa andhasn't been home to Virginia Beach since then.
The bankruptcy filings list Hawkins as having assets totaling $163,706, with atownhouse in Virginia Beach and a 2007 Nissan Maxima accounting for the bulk ofit. Other possessions include miscellaneous books and clothing valued at $600.
Hawkins also lists roughly $80,000 in debts. The bulk of that is from hermortgage. Other debts include: a $4,300 student loan, about $1,800 in creditcard purchases and a $400 medical bill. Hawkins is separated from her husbandand lists about $2,500 in income per month, which comes from Social Securitydisability benefits and child support, according to the documents. Douglas alsohas three older siblings.
An order issued in March says Hawkins is to pay $400 a month toward her debtsover a nearly five-year period. Her attorney declined to comment Sunday in anemail.
The bankruptcy filing was the latest report of financial woes associated withan Olympian. CitiMortgage is suing to foreclose on the Florida home owned byRyan Lochte's divorced parents, Ileana and Steven. Both have been in London tocheer on their son, who has won two gold medals of his own.

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