Kristi Yamaguchi

Yamaguchi in 2009, photo by Starfrenzy/Bigstock.com

Birth Name: Kristine Tsuya Yamaguchi

Place of Birth: Hayward, Alameda, California, United States

Date of Birth: July 12, 1971

Ethnicity: Japanese

Kristi Yamaguchi is an American professional figure skater and children’s book author. She is 4′11 1/2″.

Kristi is the daughter of Carole and Jim Yamaguchi. She is a third generation Japanese-American. Her father was born in Gilroy, California, on a farm, and was interned as a child during WWII with his family, in the Arizona desert. Her mother was born in an internment camp, Amachi, in Grenada, Colorado. Her ancestry is in the Wakayama and Saga prefectures.

Kristi is married to professional ice hockey player Bret Hedican, with whom she has two children.

Kristi’s paternal grandfather was named Tatsuichi Yamaguchi. Tatsuichi immigrated to Hawaii in 1899.

Kristi’s maternal grandfather was named George Akira Doi. George was a staff sergeant during WWII.

Source: Kristi on Faces of America, 2010 – http://www.pbs.org