|
Born and raised on her family's Texas ranch, Debbie spent much of her youth outdoors. She has always been an avid sports woman and adventurer. Debbie learned to sail on the lakes in Texas and it was after her junior year of college at the University of Texas that she left school and flew to the Caribbean to pursue a career in yacht racing. In 1982, Debbie became the first American woman to complete the prestigious and grueling Whitbread Around the World Race.
Debbie's life changed the moment she joined the crew of the sailing yacht, Trashman, in the fall of 1982. Her life would never be the same. Debbie tells the story of that fateful voyage and how she survived despite the odds in her book, The Sinking. Since that tragic accident at sea, she has appeared on Larry King Live, Inside Edition, and Oprah, as well as a variety of other television and radio shows, not only in the United States, but also around the world. In 1997, Debbie's story was adapted into a made for TV movie, Two Came Back, starring Melissa Joan Hart which later became ABC's Movie of the Week. Currently, The Weather Channel, National Geographic and The Discovery Channel are airing shows where Debbie shares her story of survival in “ Shark Attack, ” “ Split Second ” and “ Lived to Tell. ” The newest show airing on The Discovery Channel in the United States and around the world is a documentary film that was created by the producers of “ Touching The Void ” called “ I Shouldn't Be Alive.”
Debbie lives in Texas with her two dogs while her children, Marka and John are away at college. She has a Bachelor's degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of Texas at Arlington and she is currently pursuing an additional degree from Texas Christian University. Debbie is a Master Fitness Specialist, certified by the Cooper Institute in Texas as well as a yoga instructor. She routinely speaks and writes about survival to a variety of audiences including conferences, corporate America, local churches and high schools just to name a few. Debbie has recently finished her new book on survival entitled No Victims Only Survivors: Ten Lessons of Survival. |
 |