Long Path Has Rewards for Babilonia, Gardner

In 1980 two Southern California kids were supposed to end the Russian domination of pairs figure skating at the Olympics.

Tai Babilonia and Randy Gardner were the defending world champions. The Winter Olympics were in the United States, at Lake Placid, N.Y. Tai and Randy were already on a first-name basis with the American public. They were set to be the stars of Lake Placid. And they never got to skate.

Gardner had injured his groin muscle before arriving in Lake Placid. Even though he took a pain-killing shot before going out for short program warmups, Gardner fell four times on simple jumps. Coach John Nicks realized it would be impossible for Babilonia and Gardner to skate. He signaled the judges and pulled the pair off the ice. Babilonia was in tears and Gardner in shock.

Irina Rodnina and Aleksandr Zaitsev of the Soviet Union skated flawlessly and won the gold unanimously. Babilonia and Gardner went home to try to train for the world championships, but Gardner’s injury was still too painful and the two never skated in amateur competition again.

Babilonia, 42, made a well-publicized suicide attempt and struggled with an eating disorder and drug and alcohol addictions. It was Gardner, 44, who held Babilonia’s head while her stomach was pumped after she overdosed on prescription drugs.

And 22 years after Lake Placid, Tai and Randy are still skating partners. “I’m real proud of our career,� Gardner said. “Our relationship has lasted longer than most marriages. Sometimes people will ask if we’re bitter about what happened in Lake Placid. But I say no, we’re both better people because of what happened.�

After Lake Placid, Babilonia and Gardner went on to the skating-show life. Babilonia battled weight gain, and drug and alcohol addictions, byproducts of her lack of self-esteem, she said. That led her to attempt suicide in 1988.

She is now the mother of a 7-year-old son, Scout. Babilonia was married to rock musician Cary Butler. They divorced but still live on the same block in Sherman Oaks, and Scout’s dad takes care of him when Babilonia travels.

Gardner, who lives in Marina del Rey, has carved a career in skating choreography and production of skating shows. He recently directed and staged a production of “Footloose on Ice� with Nancy Kerrigan. He and Babilonia also do motivational speaking. The week before the Olympics found them in Atlanta speaking to a group of home builders about skating and the Olympics.

Babilonia also designs clothing and a line of butterfly jewelry. Scout is a surfer and a guitar player. “He is the coolest,� Babilonia says.

Her memories of 1980 still are conflicted

“When Randy collapsed, it seemed like it took hours,� Babilonia said. “I know I was crying. In a matter of minutes, our lives had changed even before we walked off the ice.

“We stayed for the rest of the Olympics while Randy was getting treatment. I got to watch Eric Heiden skate, and it was so beautiful. I got to meet Beth Heiden, I got to see the U.S. hockey team, so there were some great moments. It wasn’t all a complete downer.

“I know a lot of people think my problems stemmed from what happened in 1980, but that wasn’t true. They stemmed from my not dealing with things from the time I was a teenager. Year after year I never showed pain or sadness. I didn’t know how to express what I was feeling. I could skate how I was feeling, but I couldn’t verbalize it.�

Both Babilonia and Gardner said they are happy to still be involved in skating and with each other. “I think the whole life picture for both of us is very good now,� Gardner said. “We are pretty satisfied with where life has taken us.�

Diane Pucin