Olympics

Skating Legend Scott Hamilton Says He Experienced a Miracle

By Jason Romano Mar 17, 2017

1984 Olympic Men’s Skating Champion Scott Hamilton told PEOPLE that he experienced a miracle. The tumor that he had contracted in August of 2016 had shrunk in size, without treatment.

“The nature of them is to grow, and without treatment, they have no reason to shrink,” Hamilton, 58, told PEOPLE. “So I was the recipient of a spectacular miracle. I’m keeping an eye on it, and there’s no treatment needed at this time.”

In October, Hamilton announced that he had a benign pituitary tumor and said he was at peace with whatever God had in store for him. This was the third different brain tumor that had come his way. The gold medalist previously beat testicular cancer in 1997 and two benign brain tumors in 2004 and 2010 before he was diagnosed with his latest in August 2016.

Hamilton’s faith is strong and he told People that he read his Bible and drew close to God during the time after his latest tumor diagnosis.

“I kind of heard a little voice when I first got the news, to get strong, so I decided to do that,” he says. “So I just decided to give up sugar. That was the end of August, and I went back at the end of November, and they scanned it again, and it hadn’t grown at all. So I stayed with the program, eliminated all the unhealthy stuff — have been getting strong — and have been pouring myself into the word, and I really tried to draw as close to the Lord as possible. I went back Feb. 10, I checked in, got my MRI done, and it actually shrunk.”

In 2011, Scott shared with I Am Second how his faith journey grew and the circumstances surrounding the moment where he put his trust in Jesus Christ.

“I understand that through a strong relationship with Jesus, you can endure anything. God is there to guide you through the tough spots. God was there every single time.”

(PHOTO CREDIT: PBS Newshour)