Preloading

How Debi Thomas Ended Up Living In a Bug-Infested Trailer

Season 3 Episode 313
Aired on 11/07/2015 | CC tv-14
She was once America's sweetheart. Now, Debi Thomas, a former Olympic figure skater and board-certified orthopedic surgeon, is broke, unemployed and bankrupt. When Iyanla travels to Virgina to meet with Debi, she finds her living in a bug-infested trailer with her fiancé, who struggles with anger issues, and his two sons. Debi has lost custody of her own 13-year-old son.

When Iyanla and Debi sit down to have a frank conversation, Iyanla asks how it feels to live in a trailer teeming with bed bugs.

"[I feel] frustrated," Debi says.

"Frustrated?" Iyanla asks. "Not sad, not angry, not ashamed? ... Not guilty that you've got a man, two kids and a bedbug infestation in a trailer? Frustration is what you feel?"

When Debi shakes her head, Iyanla shares the harsh truth. "This is what I know: You're living in a trailer in the Appalachian Mountains and your son ain't with you!" Iyanla says. "You're raising somebody else's children! So, you can tell me whatever you want to tell me. Telling yourself the truth is important."

Watch more from Iyanla's sit-down with Debi.

More from this episode

Join Iyanla for her online course on forgiveness. Sign up here!