07/27/2026
When Kerri lived with us in Edmond, Oklahoma. I didn’t understand the magnitude after her historic 1992 Barcelona Olympics. Helping secure a bronze medal for the woman’s United States team.
After Barcelona, there was very few Olympic elite coaches in the United States. One of them was Steve Nuno. In Edmond, Oklahoma. Which is where I also trained at the time. Kerri embraced my family and I, and we embraced her. She was the long lost daughter my mom never had. Her parents, Bert and Melanie Strug were the epitome of good parents. 
I remember one evening that is embedded in my mind. Kerri had a rough day at practice. I was sick and at home. And she had just got her license. She looked up at Mom and said, “Miss Gayle, can we please go get Steve some popsicles, I think it will make his throat feel better.”
I’ll never forget the two years she live with us. She tumbled with me, taught me how to do a backhand spring step out correctly, whip backs and a full-in into the pit. I would always stay after her workouts because many of the gymnast parents would do carpools together. We all lived close by. One evening I was sitting in the back with Kerri, and Shannon. I’m a small adolescent, dumb boy with a little bit of talent. And had no idea I was setting in between two of the greatest Olympic champions in the history of the Olympics.
