 A native of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Debra grew up with three brothers and a sister in what she calls
an average family. Her mother was a nurse, her father worked in a foundry and in her free time the
high school cheerleader liked to ride horses on their 10-acre spread. But she dreamed of a career in
television and movies."Growing up, my parents were very protective, and they didn't even want me to become a cheerleader," Debra revealed in a telephone interview. "But I snuck out and did it anyway, and there wasn't much they could do about it. From there, I got involved in beauty pageants because I thought it would be fun to dress up in beautiful gowns." "Debra went on to become Miss Illinois America and Miss Texas USA. In 1985 while on a Chicago flight Debra met the mother of her future husband, then - Chicago Bears star Steve McMichael. After meeting on a blind date, the two hit it off and eventually married. It must have been like winning the lottery for the Southern belle. In her own words their lifestyle was like "the Super Bowl every year." Money may not buy happiness, but it certainly helped Debra open a few doors. The beauty made certain the wherever Steve went, she was a star as well. As a result of their marriage, Debra was featured on ESPN and HBO, numerous sports talk programs and Oprah Winfrey's show on two occasions. In addition, Debra appeared in half a dozen television commercials, two of country singing star George Strait's music videos and landed roles in films such as Texas Chainsaw Massacre IV. "My second appearance on Oprah was the best," Debra recalls. "The topic was 'How do you handle your mate being a sex symbol.' Well, Steve was the NFL star, but I was the one who was the sex symbol on the show." When Steve entered World Championship Wrestling, it wasn't long before Debra accompanied him. The woman who came from Tuscaloosa with the dream of making it in show business must have fallen in love with the bright lights and the big city. After all, she was turning more heads then her husband.
WWF Magazine |