Camelia Staicu Moceanu Gymnast, Person 1961 - 255 Views. Some of Dumitrus concerns about Dominiques personal life seemed to be reasonable, especially those involving Huggins, who regularly visited her at the gym. Now a professional aerial gymnast living in Studio City, California, Ms Bricker, 24, has enjoyed a close relationship with her sister since the two met for the first time more than four years ago. "But people forget that within minutes of meeting me.". In October 1998, only weeks after Dominique turned 17 years old, she ran away from her family home and filed a lawsuit asking to be emancipated. But behind the broad smile and shining medals she hid heartache and pain inflicted by some of the people she trusted the most. She has two siblings named Jennifer Bricker and Christina Moceanu. The gymnast had a famously fraught relationship with her parents, emancipating herself them when she was 17. She was also granted a restraining order against her father, after she accused him of stalking her. I can barely recall a single holiday when my father didnt make a scene or create some kind of chaos. She recounts her struggle to reach the top - and how she was plagued by her over-bearing parents, who had both been athletes and wanted their child to have an interest in the same. [57], On October 27, 1998, Moceanu was emancipated by a Houston court, eleven months prior to her 18th birthday. [5][70] Bricker is an acrobat and aerialist who idolized Moceanu before finding out they were sisters. . A few years later, she successfully filed for emancipation from her parents. "It was the biggest bombshell of my life," Dominique Moceanu remembered. 'We didn't dwell on the fact that she didn't have legs. Jennifer Bricker (born October 1, 1987) [1] [2] is an American acrobat and aerialist. [69], In her memoir Off Balance, Moceanu revealed that she has a younger sister, Jennifer Bricker, who was born without legs and was given up for adoption at the hospital at birth. During a 2004 interview with USA Today, the former gymnast revealed that her relationship with Dumitru and Camelia was "great," and that although they went through some troubles, they were able to "prevail and persevere. She also said police officers informed her that her father had negotiated to pay a hit man $10,000 to kill a friend, 32-year-old Brian Huggins, and Luminita Miscenco, 26, the coach Moceanu credits with reviving her career. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. var rcel = document.createElement("script"); I wished I could feel like her and all my teammates, who were excited and truly living in the moment. He spent many years as a car salesman and also owned a car dealership and worked in real estate . Camelia Staicu Moceanu is the mother of Dominique Moceanu. [30], Moceanu was expected to be a major medal contender at the Olympics. Houston police detectives told Dominique they were investigating allegations that her father had tried to hire a hit man to kill her new gymnastics coach, Luminita Miscenco, and Brian Huggins, a handsome, married 32-year-old whom she met when he provided Dumitru some equipment for the gym. And the gold medal for histrionics goes to . 'When they said her last name, it was like "Whoa, that is the same last name",' said Sharon Bricker, who knew only Moceanu as the name of her adopted child. Dominique Moceanu is a famous Gymnast, who was born on September 30, 1981 in United States. Moceanu had reportedly run away from home earlier that month, on October 17, and filed for emancipation on October 19. She starred in a Kodak commercial. In court affidavits filed this week, the Olympian claimed her father had hired a private investigator to track her comings and goings. When Moceanu reached out to her new sister, Bricker confirmed the unusual condition that led doctors to recommend expensive care. [3] The Moceanu family from which she originates is ethnically Aromanian, from modern Romania. They're athletic, do gymnastics -- Bricker even competed in the Junior Olympics -- and have discovered other striking similarities. But Dominique took the stand and said she had seen her father following her and hanging around outside her school on a few occasions since she had left home. Moceanu is married to Dr. Michael Canales, a podiatrist and collegiate gymnast. Brought up by Sharon and Gerald Bricker in the small Illinois town of Oblong, Jennifer Bricker excelled as a youngster at volleyball, basketball, gymnastics and softball, despite not having legs. Be happy! Jaycie said excitedly. Was she hoping I would feel sorry for her because she didnt get to do what regular kids did? Moceanu began gymnastics classes in Illinois at the age of 3 and later trained at LaFleur's club in Florida. She was a member of the Gold Medal-winning U.S. women's gymnastics team at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. Jen Bricker-Bauer, formerly known by her maiden name Jen Bricker, is an American acrobat and aerialist. Nearby Dumitru built a 72,000-square-foot gym with 48-foot ceilings and the most up-to-date equipment. Cant you be my mom and dad instead of me being your business?, By November the story had become positively bizarre. She was the all-around silver medalist at the 1992 Junior Pan American Games and the 1994 junior national champion. She has an estimated net worth of $2 Million You can find Her website below: http://www.dominique-moceanu.com/. At just 13-years-old, Dominique won the 1995 U.S. National Championships, beating out much more seasoned and experienced gymnasts. Jennifer Bricker, who knew she was adopted, grew up as a gymnast unaware of who her famous sister was, but that changed when she turned 16, and asked her mother about the adoption. Her parents, Camelia (Staicu) and Dumitru Moceanu, are Romanian-born gymnasts, from Timioara and Constana, respectively. 'Oh by the way, I have no legs,' she told Moceanu. It indicates that She is on life path 22. [39] She finished the exercise and went on to a strong performance in the floor finals later that day, finishing fourth and just missing a medal. Not long after, her father waited for her outside her school and followed her in his car until she pulled over and spoke to him briefly. [17] Dumitru was an ethnic Aromanian born in Greece, while Camelia is an ethnic Aromanian born in Romania. Her spouse is Michael Canales (m. 2006). 'I was kinda in shock, who does this happen to?' "I was shocked," Moceanu recalled, remembering how she felt after falling on both landings. After Olympic success, Dominique seemed to be living a fairy-tale life. Along with more than a dozen other journalists, I went to Houston to try to understand how a family could tear itself apart so quickly. The parents of Dominique Moceanu are Dumitru Moceanu, Camelia Staicu Moceanu. And I was very, very small. At the 1996 Olympics Dominique charmed the world; even when she fell and landed on her head, her dimpled smile was so infectious that audiences cheered wildly for her. If I ever started to talk about my pain or injury, they would immediately cut me off, dismissing it and making comments or gestures that I was becoming weak, faking, or exaggerating injury out of laziness. Dominique admitted to me that her father often exaggerates and says things that he doesnt really mean. Her biological parents, Camelia (Staicu) and Dumitru Moceanu, are Romanian-born gymnasts, from Timioara and Constana, respectively. Moceanu was born on September 30, 1981 in Hollywood to Romanian parents Dumitru (1954-2008), and Camelia Staicu (b. They brought her to Houston so she could be coached by Bela Karolyi. var rcds = document.getElementById("rcjsload_b42b6d"); Born 1961 Spouses. She was a member of the Gold Medal-winning U.S. womens gymnastics team at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. Her personal year number in 2023 is 1. Who is Camelia Staicu Moceanu? Nationals. When I talked to her, she was with her new agent at a skiing competition in Colorado, where she was relaxing, meeting celebrities, and skiing. Daily Mail Reporter ", Dominique confessed that the real problem was between her and her father, but that it ended up getting out of control and becoming a "huge story.". She has claimed that her father Dumitru was responsible for the decision to give the girl away, saying he 'ruled our house with an iron fist'. .component--type-recirculation .item:nth-child(5) { When asked in one court hearing if he had ever hit her, he lamely said, I dont remember. How often he physically disciplined her, however, is a matter of dispute. The secret sister of Olympic star Dominique Moceanu, given up for adoption because she had no legs, wrote of her desperation to meet her older sibling in an emotional letter revealed today. Now 30, Moceanu digs deep into her past and confronts some of the most painful memories from her stressful childhood, including dealing with a relentless father and the allegedly abusive coach Bela Karolyi. Now 30, Moceanu digs deep into her past and confronts some of. This thing has the classic fixings for a best-seller, he told CNN. They supported me strongly and encouraged me in every way they could.. (Read an excerpt of "Off Balance" here.). November 5, 2020, Place of Birth: Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, United States. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Theres no doubt in my mind that the autocratic Dumitru, steeped in the patriarchal tradition of Eastern Europe, struck Dominique. Dominique Moceanu height is 5 ft 2 in (1.6 m). It is a Platform where Influencers can meet up, Collaborate, Get Collaboration opportunities from Brands, and discuss common interests. According to numerology, Dominique Moceanu's Life Path Number is 22. [3] [4] [58][59][60][61] Moceanu's parents ultimately decided not to fight her in court, and she was given control over her future earnings and allowed to live independently, though her father remained in charge of her trust. 'The tones in our voices, our handwriting, the way we laugh and chuckle. The couple shares two children, daughter Carmen, born in December 2007, and son Vincent, born in March 2009. She paused. She was allowed to go out with a boy only onceand a chaperone had to accompany them. var rcel = document.createElement("script"); She was part of the US Olympics Gymnastics team with Shannon Miller. IN EARLY 1992, WHEN SPORTSWRITERS DROPPED BY BELA Karolyis north Houston gym, the revered coach would point out a ten-year-old girl named Dominique Moceanu, an engaging sprite who exploded like a firecracker on the balance beam and over the uneven bars. Dominique Moceanu was born on September 30, 1981 (age 41) in Los Angeles, California, United States. 'It was the biggest bombshell of my life,' said Ms Moceanu, 30. Maybe I didnt deserve to be happy. Was the very Americanized Dominique simply going through a phase of adolescent rebellion? Dumitru Moceanu, 44, said Dominique's trust fund has been used to build a 70,000-square-foot gym that opened last year, a gym that his daughter wanted. While talking to a private investigator he had hired to nd Dominique, he ew into a rage and talked about wanting to kill Huggins and Miscenco. She was a member of the gold-medal-winning United States women's gymnastics team (the "Magnificent Seven") at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. Her parents gave her a Mercedes for her sixteenth birthday, and when she complained that it was an old persons car, they traded it in for a Mustang convertible. The Olympic gold medal-winning gymnast made headlines on Friday as she revealed that she had a secret disabled sister and accused her father of forcing her mother to give the girl up for adoption. Youve got attempted murder.. "I have this gold medal around my neck. Two years later, Moceanu's father, Dimitry Moceanu, died after a long battle with cancer. American gymnast who was the youngest U.S. gymnast ever to win an Olympic gold medal, doing so at the age of thirteen and a half. "My dad, he wanted a better life," Dominique Moceanu said in an exclusive interview with "20/20." After Moceanu was contacted by Jennifer in the 2007 letter, she was so furious with her father that she could not bring herself to confront him for weeks - even though he was suffering from the cancer which would kill him the next year. Explaining that as a girl she grew up as a competitive athlete, Ms Moceanu was stunned. I was 10 years old, for crying out loud!, My dearest friend and my most trusted confidante to this day is Janice Ward, Moceanu writes. But since that time, the relationship between the 1996 gold medalist and her father has disintegrated to the point that a judge this week granted temporary restraining orders to Moceanu and her friends, Brian and Marcy Huggins. A call to Katherine Scardino, a lawyer for Dumitru Moceanu, was not returned Friday. Her parents, Camelia (Staicu) and Dumitru Moceanu, are Romanian-born gymnasts, from Timioara and Constana, respectively. We're doing our best to make sure our content is useful, accurate and safe.If by any chance you spot an inappropriate comment while navigating through our website please use this form to let us know, and we'll take care of it shortly. She was a featured performer on the Britney Spears Circus Tour (2009) and was the first handicapped high school var rcds = document.getElementById("rcjsload_b42b6d"); I wanted to take it off. She intended to prevent her parents from having control over her and her money. [55], Moceanu runs the Dominique Moceanu Gymnastics Center and Carmen Yoga Studio in Medina, Ohio, USA; where her son Vincent Canales also trains. Let's check, How Rich is She in 2022-2023? They added that the baby had medical problems that would require expensive care that they could not afford, so they gave her up for adoption. The Daily Beast picks the best bits from Off Balance. Id always look over at them as they laughed and talked, and wish I could join them. Although some people could have believed that the lawsuit was merely about the money that Dominique Moceanu's parents were making at the expense of their daughter, the former gymnast once explained that money was only one of the reasons: "I never had a childhood. They enrolled 3-year-old Dominique in gymnastics and soon it became clear that their daughter had a special gift. [35][36] Moceanu took Strug's place in the all-around finals,[37] but made a mistake on the balance beam and placed ninth. 'But people forget that within minutes of meeting me.'. If you ever get money, youll leave us, he allegedly told her. I think something changed in my fathers mind. That was the trade-off: hard work for a shot at fame. Dominique Moceanu is an American gymnast. Her height is 5 ft 2 in (1.6 m). Source: Obituary of Dominiques father https://www.chron.com. One of the members of the gold medal winning United States women's gymnastics team, Dominique Moceanu is a former gymnast. She was a featured performer on Britney Spears' Circus Tour and was the first disabled high school tumbling champion in the state of Illinois. As one of the members of the Magnificent Seven, Dominique won the gold medal. Yet whenever she broached the subject with her father, she said, he would get furious and tell her she was too young to worry about such matters. 'I have this gold medal around my neck. Although the police found no evidence of a murder plot, Dominique decided to go to court once again, this time to get a protective order against her fatherone that prohibited him from contacting her or coming within five hundred feet of her school, workout facility, or residence for at least one year. You are currently not logged in as a member of MyHeritage. rcel.src = "//trends.revcontent.com/serve.js.php?w=76341&t="+rcel.id+"&c="+(new Date()).getTime()+"&width="+(window.outerWidth || document.documentElement.clientWidth)+"&referer="+encodeURIComponent(referer); What happens to First Republic Bank's stock and deposits now? 'Bela Karolyi is the greatest kingmaker we have seen in gymnastics,' said USA sports columnist Christine Brennan, 'And Dominique Moceanu had to have Bela Karolyi to become the gymnast that she was to become. rcel.type = 'text/javascript'; [18] Dominique has two younger siblings, Jennifer Bricker (born 1987), who was born without legs and adopted shortly after birth by Gerald and Sharon Bricker, and Christina Moceanu Chapman (born 1989). 17:03 EDT 10 Jun 2012. I felt bad for her because she never even got to hold me. They decided to keep the information secret from Jen for another eight years until her 16th birthday, and she did not come forward to her sister until four years after that. STANDS4 LLC, 2023. var referer="";try{if(referer=document.referrer,"undefined"==typeof referer||""==referer)throw"undefined"}catch(exception){referer=document.location.href,(""==referer||"undefined"==typeof referer)&&(referer=document.URL)}referer=referer.substr(0,700); In December of 2007, a nine-month pregnant Moceanu picked up a package from the post office. [66] They first met in 1994, when Moceanu was 12 years old. She had run away from home and was petitioning the court to declare her an adult so that she could control her own life. 'It was unfair treatment. Martha Karolyi responded that the comments made her feel 'sad' that Moceanu only appeared to remember the hard days of work, rather than the championship wins. "Oh by the way. After recognizing Dominique's talent, they worked at a. I know its going to work out in the end.. It was true that she had adhered to a arduous training regimen before the Olympics, working out three hours in the morning and four to five hours in the afternoon. Our family is giving this baby an abundance of love already", "The Secret Link Between Two Gymnasts, Outlook - BBC World Service", "Olympic stars testify to Congress about sex abuse at USA Gymnastics program", "Facing Congress, Some Sports Officials (Not All) Begin to Confront Sexual Abuse", Interview with Dominique Moceanu on her faith and the Olympics, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Dominique_Moceanu&oldid=1151283351. [12][44][45], In the fall of 2000, Moceanu participated in a post-Olympics national exhibition tour. In the back was a 20,000-square-foot private gym reserved exclusively for Dominique to prepare for the 2000 Olympics in Sydney. 7 on The New York Times Best Seller list. [9] In 1995, at the age of 13, she became the youngest gymnast to win the senior all-around title at the U.S. National Championships. Moceanu recalls her old-school Romanian father who ruled our house with an iron fist, making all family decisions without discussion: We often found ourselves hiding in separate rooms. Jennifer Bricker (born October 1, 1987) is an American acrobat and aerialist. She was selected to compete at the 1998 Goodwill Games, where she became the only American to win the all-around title. According to numerology, Dominique Moceanu's Life Path Number is 22. While her parents went into seclusionScardino says theyre devastatedDominique left the courthouse and immediately ew to New York, where she appeared on NBCs Today show to rehash the family feud. 1961), both gymnasts. Her fathers two alleged targets were encouraged to leave town immediately and disappear for a while., Dominique Moceanu was the youngest member. They had been poor and doctors had told them the child would require expensive medical care, so they gave her up for adoption. If all the difficulties that Dominique experienced as a child were not hard enough, she learned that she had a secret sibling, Jen, who was born without legs. Dumitru and Camelia Moceanu, who moved from their native Romania in the 1980s and had both been keen athletes, told her the baby girl was born the day after her sixth birthday. I think it chose me in a lot of ways," she said. [15][16], Moceanu was born in Hollywood, California, on September 30, 1981, to Romanian Americans Dumitru Moceanu (19542008) and Camelia Moceanu (ne Staicu; b. She is the sister of gymnast Dominique Moceanu. A Blockbuster Draft-Day Trade Gives the Houston Texans a Rare Feeling: Hope. [50] She stated that USA Gymnastics officials had told her she would qualify if she attended the national training camp and competed at least one event at the U.S. Moceanu said her parents, Romanian immigrants Dumitru and Camelia Moceanu, robbed her of her childhood by driving her to gymnastics success, then spent all the money she began earning from the . Focusing on the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, her parents took her to try out for famous Olympic gymnastics coaches Bela and Marta Karolyi when she was nine and she was accepted. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); (function() { He and his wife were captured and tried for mass murder before being killed by firing squad. [72], Moceanu, Jamie Dantzscher and Jessica Howard testified at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on March 28, 2017, about the USA Gymnastics sex abuse scandal. DIMITRY MOCEANU Constansa, Romania October 6, 1954-October 12, 2008 Services on: Dimitry Moceanu, 54, a resident of Houston for 17 years, died Sunday night, October 12, 2008, at Odyssey House. Dominique Moceanu's estimated Net Worth, Salary, Income, Cars, Lifestyles & many more details have been updated below. A judge declared Moceanu a legal adult in October so she could begin taking stock of how her earnings were spent. , updated Dominique Moceanu at the Georgia Dome in the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia | Photo: Getty Images. Like any father, Dumitru may have wanted to put his hands around the neck of that young man and tell him to go back to his wife and child, Scardino says. Under her new coach, Luminia Miscenco, she adjusted to a significant growth spurt[8][43] and developed a more mature style. Last update: 2022-09-29 00:00:00, If you are a model, tiktoker, instagram Influencer or brand marketer, who is looking for Collaborations, then you can join our Facebook Group named "Influencers Meet Brands - in4fp.com". What could have happened? I do not know how to explain it, but maybe he was under such stress nancially, and he thought he was losing me.. 'My parents made me feel everything but handicapped growing up,' explained Jen, = who works for a performing arts group at Universal Studios. She received thousands of letters from adoring girls and boys. At the Games, her first three rounds went off perfectly, but she fell twice during her final event - the vault - and she knew she would be punished for it. Fortunately, all of her hard work paid off as she represented the US in different events, including the 1996 Summer Olympics held in Atlanta. Dominique Moceanu, who was a part of the women's gymnastics team that won the gold medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics, sued her parents when she was still a minor. The resort is a world-class scuba diving and ecotourism resort located on a small island Kaniki near Basuanga in the Camalan group of Palawan in the Philippines. I was devastated. We could barely take care of ourselves and you. Help us build the largest biographies collection on the web! Her younger sister is fellow gymnast Jen Bricker. . After splitting from the Soviet Union, the leader borrowed $13 billion from the West to kick-start its economy. [38] In the beam final, she fell when she missed a foot on a layout and crashed into the balance beam on her head. Dumitru and Camelia Moceanu defected from Romania to the U.S. nearly twenty years ago with no money and no grasp of the English language. Were he and Camelia greedy parasites who desperately needed Dominiques income to pay for their monstrously large gym? 1 May 2023. As the team collected their gold medals, Moceanu said she knew her father would berate her following the ceremony. 1961). [18] Having thus been born in an Aromanian family,[19] Dominique speaks Aromanian fluently. Powered by - Designed with theHueman theme. It's mind-blowing,' Moceanu said. 'He completely belittled me and my weight, singled me out and made me feel very small. ", PHOTOS: Dominique Moceanu Through the Years, But in her new memoir, "Off Balance" Dominique Moceanu recounts many painful episodes in her quest for Olympic gold. [12] Since then, she has worked as a coach,[1][13] studied business management,[13][14] and written a memoir, Off Balance. Born without legs, she was placed for adoption by her parents. Her relationship with her father was just as volatile as ever, if not more. There was no answer at Dumitru Moceanu's home, and a call to his gym was not returned. Watching them hug each other and celebrate, I realized then that no matter how much I wanted to feel happy, my happiness depended on what my coaches and parents thought of my performance and whether or not they were pleased with me. [63] Despite her father's claim that the family gym was a financial success, it permanently closed in February 1999, less than two years after it opened. Moceanu would ultimately file for emancipation from her parents when she was 17,and got a restraining order against her father. We connect brands with social media talent to create quality sponsored content. ', She went on: 'You had been my idol my whole life, and you turned out to be my sister! [47], After a five-year hiatus from elite gymnastics, Moceanu announced in 2005 that she was returning. 'I asked her, did you ever think about me? She is the sister of gymnast Dominique Moceanu. The Olympic gymnast is at war with her parents. ", Dominique also opened up about the atypical relationship that she had with her parents as they used to make everything about the gym. Dumitru and Camelia wouldnt be interviewed for this story, but in press conferences, court hearings, and other interviews, they have denied that Dominique was ever abused. I appreciated it. [34], At the Olympics, still struggling with her injury and sporting a heavily bandaged leg, Moceanu contributed to the team gold medal with performances good enough to qualify her for the event finals on balance beam and floor exercise. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? At 14, Dominique Moceanu was the youngest member of the Olympic gold-medal-winning 1996 U.S. womens gymnastics team in Atlanta. "I think he wanted me to do something that he didn't get a chance to do.". Martha's logic is so false but no one would listen to a 14-year-old. Growing up with three other brothers in Oblong, Ms Bricker's parents did not let her disability affect her. She loved tumbling on the trampoline with her dad and watching famous gold medalist, Dominique Moceanu on television. June 6, 2012, 1:46 PM June 8, 2012 -- Dominique Moceanu was the youngest member of the celebrated "Magnificent 7" gymnasts who won team gold at the 1996 Olympic Games.