American Gladiators star Debbie Clark, best known as Storm, has died at the age of 61 after battling various health issues. The former reality TV star passed away on Monday (August 24) at her home in Boston.
Family reveals final moments
Her brother shared the news with TMZ on Wednesday (August 26), revealing that the bodybuilder died after her pacemaker "gave out". He said she died at home in his arms before paramedics arrived, surrounded by family.
Debbie's son, Clayton, said his mother had "overworked herself", which he claimed led to her pacemaker faulting. Paramedics were called as soon as he noticed his mother looking unwell, but they were too late when they arrived. Despite their best efforts, the emergency service crew were unable to resuscitate her.
Cause of death and fundraiser
Clayton believes she died from a cardiac arrest, although her cause of death has not yet been confirmed. Following her passing, he set up a GoFundMe page to help raise donations so the family can spread her ashes later this year. At the time of writing, the fundraiser has raised $1,800 of its $3,500 goal.
Career and legacy
Debbie competed on American Gladiators in 1991 after former competitor Gold suffered an injury. She was given the nickname Storm by producers after admitting that her performance "blew them all away". She regularly appeared on the show until 1993 and even sang the national anthem at an American Gladiators event.
The TV star eventually retired after suffering a serious ACL injury. The show's official Instagram page shared a tribute on Tuesday (August 25), calling her "an athlete, performer, survivor, mother and Gladiator." The post noted that Debbie "faced significant challenges in her personal life" after leaving the show, including experiencing homelessness and receiving help from TV star Sherri Shepherd, who paid her rent for six months.
According to her obituary, a private service will be held for Debbie at a funeral home in Massachusetts. American Gladiators originally ran for seven seasons from 1989 to 1996, later sparking a short-lived revival on NBC in 2008 and multiple documentaries. A reboot of the show launched last April on Amazon Prime with Mike 'The Miz' Mizanin as host.
