By then Tai Babilonia and Randy Gardner had become one of the most decorated pairs in U.S. figure skating history, their individual names eventually melding into one. "My last name is 'and Randy,'" Babilonia said. After retiring from skating, Babilonia, now 66, dabbled in coaching and sportswear design, became a motivational speaker, an activist and, most importantly, a grandmother. Fairbanks, Babilonia learned later, simply needed a couple to skate in a club show at the Culver City Ice Arena. When she stopped skating Babilonia tried coaching, but that didn't work because she didn't know how to teach the moves she had so easily mastered.

Source: Los Angeles Times February 02, 2026 17:08 UTC