Tonya Harding’s Mom Defends Her: ‘She’s Just a Kid’

In January 1994, Tonya Harding found herself at the center of a national scandal after her skating rival Nancy Kerrigan was attacked. Harding denied any involvement in the incident, and her mother, LaVona Fay Golden, stood by her side. In February 1994, after Harding’s husband pleaded guilty to racketeering in connection with the assault, Inside Edition spoke to Golden while Harding was at skating practice. She said her daughter had nothing to do with the attack. #InsideEdition

[@evelina2363]

Interesting interview. She seems genuine here. And hints at the fact that Tonya was very scared of her husband. Something to take into account when trying to understand this story, for sure.

[@reassimilate668]

They didn't want to understand. You can hear it in the interviewer's demeanor.

[@tatyanamelnikoff9578]

@@reassimilate668 they need a story, and that's their priority. nothing exists there; they'll create something. it's the usual. stories sell. it's the money.

[@hushmooney4812]

I honestly thought she did loved her daughter, just didn't know how to.

[@usfanlovesjiwoo1978]

If the movie I Tonya is accurate, then this woman was a monster.

[@davidpar2]

USFanlovesjiwoo the truth is always somewhere in between

[@nighttray1489]

That’s not an excuse

[@yevgeniyaleshchenko849]

@@davidpar2 No, not always, sweetie. Sometimes the truth is in plain sight, maybe you'll understand it one day.

[@reassimilate668]

They wanted her to be guilty. The Mom was brutal but smart and very honest here. I fact-checked.

[@thehobbster6367]

Her Mom was right the husband was very jealous of Tanya worth noting he really didnt want her skating. He ruined her chances and did her no favor. A loving spouse that believed in her would not have done it but a jealous spouse that wanted her career ruined would do this. Her Mom speaks truth.

[@Deva7]

She's got tears in her eyes, defending her daughter and talking so kindly about her... too bad they didn't show that side of her in the movie.

[@orls9068]

She's a narcissist

[@users1992]

she is on medication here

[@usfanlovesjiwoo1978]

@@orls9068 Bingo, you hit it right on the head.

[@WaterKreature]

They did show this genuine side of her...life was tough for the mom

[@deenababie]

@@users1992 there is no evidence of that.

[@queen_of_domination]

“You skate like a graceless bulld¥k€!!” 😂😂😂😂😂 Every time I see her mom, I think of that line from the movie…

[@Gia.comino]

If she's anything like she was in the movie, then she's an awful mother.

[@Tkimba2]

3 jobs to pay for her lesson isn't that bad

[@Gia.comino]

@@Tkimba2 That kid didn't get the love she deserved.

[@caramclaughlin2044]

Tomba 2 now I don’t know if the movie is the same as it was in real life but all of the hard work for her to pay for her daughter literally vanishes the second she starts beating her, screaming at her, discouraging her and literally throwing knives at her. She didn’t have a fair childhood or adulthood and I feel sorry for her.. everyone deserves love and support from their parents, imagine the psychological distress and trauma she has been through..

[@Tkimba2]

@@caramclaughlin2044 true

[@jackbacker7238]

Don’t try to demean her mother. Of course a mom would defend their kid.

[@jboever85]

The mom was narcissistic and abusive, she just used Tonya for the money. Just look at an interview with Tonya Harding. I will admit that she had done a few good things though.

[@tushargrover2010]

And also throw a knife at their kid. 🗿

[@aquablue1252]

Sounds like she diverted back to a state where and when she did love her daughter, when she was an innocent child .

[@jannat3184]

I think her view of an innocent child is one who does not stand up against injustices because he/she is too weak or too young

[@malialaguisa4797]

Even if she knew about it, i doubt there was much she could have sone to help her abusive situation. People have no idea how crippling that is for a person.

[@corimoon3360]

You have no idea how stupid you sound

[@tatyanamelnikoff9578]

@@corimoon3360 that doesn't sound stupid.

[@nashiPAGE]

Good point!

[@AmandaHug-n-Kiss]

And this is just proven facts as to where jealousy and being envious of someone can actually lead someone.

[@jimandrews4261]

What’s with the creepy laugh at 2:35?!

[@clintloepker126]

I’m not saying that Lavona showed love by abuse. I think deep down lavona truly loved tonya and wanted the best for her, but just didn’t know how to. I really wish they would have shown this side of her in the movie. I think she wanted the best for tonya but just didn’t know how to show. I think that lavona had a past and thinks that her trauma is the way everyone should be treated.

[@tatyanamelnikoff9578]

clint--i've read that that one part in the movie, when the mother tries to tape record t.h., is supposedly true. that really happened. mom doesn't look so good there, if that really is the case.

[@TheNickness]

The scene in the diner when Tonya tries to reconnect with her mother before 1994 Olympics is exactly what you're describing and it ended with Tonya's "You're a monster" and Lavona's "Deal with it" (lines might be incorrect since I watched the movie in italian).

[@fearless6947]

@@tatyanamelnikoff9578 it's true, her mum did tape record it.

[@lovelifeart486]

Lavona certainly comes across alot better then she did in sharp edges, she could give her daughter any praise in that!

[@highq9039]

Omg he really does look like Sebastian Stan 🤭

[@FranckLarsen]

Thanks for sharing this. Really interesting to see.

[@dashoverton1963]

A woman who is cold, unfeeling, and unloving makes the worst mother in the world.

[@K.Adler1120]

I feel like shes just trying to look good tbh....

[@fearless6947]

Exactly, you get it. This is what abuser's do.

[@stephanieparker7543]

Just a kid, but grown-up enough to be married... Hmmm.

[@staceylili6703]

Stephanie Parker exactly 24 no kid.

[@lovelifeart486]

Actually only just turned 23 two months before the incident but yes she was no kid!

[@DJ_Ndiks]

To her mother she will always be a kid, so it's understandable.

[@MelissaRodriguez-xy9gu]

So what . She still didn’t do it! It was her husband at the time .

[@cats9311]

Well kids be 16 and pregnant...what's the difference?

[@sarcasticklutz]

I think the reason she knows shes not guilty is cuz she had something to do with it

[@oopsibrokethecow]

Allison Janney was perfectly cast for the role as LaVona in I, Tonya.

[@ShyerLady]

The mom seems like she truly loves Tonya deep down inside. But like Tonya conveys her mom was abusive. Almost like abuse was her way if discipline.

[@honeycomb9156]

U just on the side of her mom

[@yevgeniyaleshchenko849]

Of course abusers would justify it to themselves and the world that it was ''just'' the discipline, yet it's just not. Abuse is abuse.

[@alexx_6668]

​@@honeycomb9156There's no sides

[@christina12311979]

Tonya's mom seems genuine in this interview. Tonya smiles just like her mom. good to see lavonna stick up for her daughter in public.

[@centigradz2centigradz289]

She seems too happy that this happened. Like 'I told u so'. Her mom knew that now she looked better in people's eyes than Tonya's husband. Tonya went from one abusive person to another. Each one hindering her true strength.

[@beluwuga]

I mean.. she was.. 20 years old.

[@GiGiGoesShopping]

That Mom is very scary.

[@kkandsims4612]

She dose look a lot like her mom

[@Wigconic.]

Cant wait for Lisa Guerrero jokes coming

[@jenniferjuneau7329]

I had to check out the real mother, after the movie depicted her as a monster. I thought she'd be really nasty, but she doesn't seem as bad as the fictional mother

[@tatyanamelnikoff9578]

this mom, is NOT the mother character in the movie.

[@alang9480]

"She's innocent." _YEaH sOUnDs AboUT riGHt_

[@Iamcherese]

Was this filmed in the 80s????? What year is it!???

[@_anaaaaa]

Around 1940’s

[@Mini-rt8bm]

1994! It said so on the video!

[@Psookpy]

@@_anaaaaa lol

[@maggie-hj2jt]

I'm shocked

[@alisondavies587]

Well Tonya was not a kid she was 23 nor do I believe she was guilty and Lavona was just has guilty of abusing Tonya has Jeffy Gilooly was! Nice little scene where Coach Diane was playing with Tonyas hair, Probably more affection in that one second then Tonya ever received from her Mother!

[@BobMcCoy]

*-Inside Edition-** **_Lisa Guerrero FLASHBACK!_*

[@ShibeR6]

_Bob McCoy ur not even funny anymore

[@georgia3553]

I say bobs meme will never die he started this meme and he is clearly obsessed with Lisa Guerrero and I am not the one to get between them 😂

[@user-ym1nf6el9m]

BACK TO THE PAST

[@adamjaraba5678]

*__Bob McCoy go away_*

[@cats9311]

This whole this is bogus to Tonya cause she couldn't compete anymore. She never hated Nancy. Everyone knows if Tonya would just practice she could've got gold. Also no one even cares about the 4 men anymore but everyone still give Tonya heat for one little thing.

[@beluwuga]

Yea bro she was 20 year old.. chill

[@yevgeniyaleshchenko849]

Yet she didn't get the gold even though she did keep practicing. Oksana Baiul did. Get it? Oksana was the best among all of them.

[@nemesiscyne]

Unfair and illegal. He was her ex- husband. Divorced

[@terimorris6394]

Scary mother ! Sounds like a psycho killer

[@Andrea-lt3fd]

The life without affection that Tonya had is regrettable, her mother probably also had a psychopathic mother. The worst thing is the sexist and hypocritical American society. They condemned Tonya more for being a woman, and highlighted the terrible men in this story. What a cruel society, God forbid I live in that place.

[@liyahb7592]

She reminds me of Barbara from Teen Mom

[@1besieged]

Tonya was innocent of wrongdoing, the skating A$$ociation had not right banning a world class skater from competiting , that was illegal in itself, she got probation of 3 YeARS and $100K fine, that was more then enough extortion and framing, on an innocent person , don't you think ? Freedom of speech &Press USA copyrighted

[@comment.highlighted]

The Whole thing is odd... so I don’t know what to think 🤔

[@estherkihl7288]

Look at her movie before judging, really

[@doom3166]

@403 Forbidden No excuse? If you would have been treated like that you would've probably killed someone.

[@Destinyy858]

@403 Forbidden no excuse for what she didn’t do anything

[@becka57986]

I might live under a rock...but could someone fill me in on the lisa Guerrero jokes? 🙄 why do i see her name everywhere 🤔

[@jessiang9708]

Lol xD it's because she investigates /Confronts so much I guess

[@becka57986]

Jess Star yeah...I figured that lol 😂 I just wanted to make sure, she does report a lot

[@sarcasticklutz]

Cuz that troll is obsessed with her is a attention whore

[@alannahmcelvaney2490]

Becka Garcia because she basically u could say "exposes" or "confronts" cases so example: she leaves a handbag with a tracker in it out on a public walkway and keeps the cameras rolling then when they see someone take it and run or casually walk away with it they would track the tracking device and confront the people or person who took it

[@becka57986]

Alannah Mc Elvaney lmao wow 😂

[@googlemailbox615]

The film portrayed her very unfairly

[@katderre3880]

Google Mailbox No it didn’t do more research on her she was a horrible mother

[@skittles5703]

It didn’t, there were other reports about how abusive she was and not just from Tanya from several other people

[@APcaveman]

😂🤣😂

[@googlemailbox615]

@@katderre3880 she made over 100 costumes for Tonya by hand...wasn't mentioned in the movie

[@corimoon3360]

The film also portrayed tonya unfairly she wasn’t that great

[@jrawlins5246]

I was disheartened to recently learn of LaVona's death. She was such a kind soul.

[@hollyjolly2066]

Oh, she died? I didn't know that. Do you know when she died, and how?

[@tatyanamelnikoff9578]

lavona keeled over? when? i didn't know that.

[@nighttray1489]

If there is a Hell, she’s currently burning in it

[@mirijamschon5609]

Yes! Such a kind soul! Throws a knife at her daughter!😍

[@brittanydiaz1483]

She’s not dead what a liar

[@janedoe1488]

Love you Tonya

[@dagmarzoepke6960]

Tonya was under pressure from her husband and he controled her life . But after all the years Tonya should made peace with her mother . Even when the mother was not the best but she paid for the skatertraining . Jeff was not good for Tonya . The mother did not spoil her life but Jeff spoiled all .

[@nambypamby2147]

If he controlled her life, she wouldn't have been a skater. He was dead against it.

[@simonrooney2272]

idk I feel like the argument could definetly be made that her mother spoiled her life. Her mother abusing her since she was a child is probably what made her stick with Jeff as long as she did, thinking that being treated that way was okay

[@avrilbowler7131]

No "kid" sets out to deliberately injure a sporting rival. That is just WICKED!

[@simonrooney2272]

she didn't have anythign to do with it, it was all her ex-husband

[@AHIEFT]

Wow

[@amalsaleem5528]

Hi

[@phoenixwang7920]

Such a typical kids will be kids excuse

[@beluwuga]

But if she was a kid tho?

[@jordangate7742]

Good mom defending her daughter. But look how many close people defended Tonya, vs the people close to Nancy who said she exposed herself during her silver medal.

[@tatyanamelnikoff9578]

jordan--agreed! it appears, that n.k. actually expected to win the gold, and bet on the sympathy people and the media gave her for the knee assault. oksana, was way better than her. and you can't miss the jealousy trip n.k. has toward oksana's win.

[@rowen8117]

Early oml

[@Inessence4]

Please stop answering a question with a question Lavonna.

[@evelina2363]

She says a lot with her non-answers answers. She cannot say too much clearly but she lets the audience understand.

[@cam-dl2ri]

omG FIRST

[@cam-dl2ri]

@Okay iikxtie NO I WAS HERE WHEN IT SAID NO VIEWS, NO LIKES, AND 0 COMMENTS GET REKT SCRUBBB

[@chloe7982]

KZbin can be on crack sometimes, so uh. No your not first.

[@Tkimba2]

She was a good mother. Did 3 jobs to pay her kid's skating lessons and all that.

[@aishaq2591]

And abused her verbally and physically, and mentally. That alone shows how much of a bad cruel person she is, she had a negative role in her child's life and personality, instead of being a supportive good mother, not even a mother, but a human.

[@cyberdoll9412]

She threw a freaking knife at her

[@fearless6947]

@ Tkimba. Did your mother throw a freaking knife at you?

[@danyjcastro]

Her face looks just like Melissa Leo.

[@linkscrazylife4668]

Remember I was taught by my mother and father there's always three sides to every story yours mine and the truth..lol I think Tonya Harding was a spoiled little brat she grew up in the same generation I did when you did something wrong you got smacked ..you got backhanded that doesn't mean my parents abuse me that's how I was taught with discipline!... And I worship the ground my parents walk on for that the way they brought me up I'm not an abused child my parents were not abuser's my parents were absolutely phenomenal and to this day I still take great care of them!

[@CherryFrog321]

Eh, I think she got more than just smacked or backhanded. Apparently her mom threw a knife at her once...

[@chasityjade8556]

um no she actually was incredibly abused??? she was pushed to pursue this career and taught her entire worth was dependent on being perfect for everyone else but herself

[@chasityjade8556]

-doesn’t mean she wasn’t problematic at times. but does NOT justify any of the abuse and backlash she received throughout all her years of competing

[@simonrooney2272]

her mom through a knife at her! There's a difference between physically disciplining your child and what Lavonna did to Tonya

[@pinkablink9488]

Hitler’s parents: he’s just a kid

[@Inessence4]

PinkABlink Kerrigan is Hardly 6 million people dead. Hyperbole much?

[@queen_of_domination]

“You skate like a graceless bulld¥k€!!” 😂😂😂😂😂 Every time I see her mom, I think of that line from the movie…

[@thehobbster6367]

Her Mom was right the husband was very jealous of Tanya worth noting he really didnt want her skating. He ruined her chances and did her no favor. A loving spouse that believed in her would not have done it but a jealous spouse that wanted her career ruined would do this. Her Mom speaks truth.