Kitty O’Neil was married to Ronald Duffy Hambleton, they eventually divorced, she married again but also ended in a divorce.
Brief Description Of Kitty O’Neil
Kitty Linn O’Neil popularly known as Kitty O’Neil was an American auto racer and stuntwoman born on March 24, 1946 in Corpus Christi, Texas, United States of America.
Her father John O’Neil was part of the United States Army Air Forces, he died in an airplane crash when she was just a little child.
She lost her ability to hear when she was 5 months old making her deaf. Her mother Patsy Compton O’Neil taught her how to read lips and speech presentation, which she later on became a speech therapist for students with hearing disorders in Wichita, Texas.
Kitty as a youth was a diver and won the Amateur Union diving championship, she got a wrist injury when she was preparing for the 1964 Olympics. Unfortunately, she lost interest after recovering and started practicing skydiving, hang gliding, scuba diving and water skiing.
Career
Kitty O’Neil was a stunt woman, actress and car race driver. She featured in many movies and TV shows including The Bionic Woman, The Blues Brothers, Smokey and the Bandit and many others.
She participated in the Baja 500 and mint 400 racing on land and water in the 1970’s. She trained with stuntmen including Hal Needham, Ron Hambleton and Dar Robinson. She became the first woman ever to partner with stunts unlimited which is the leading stunt agency. O’Neil in her career set a land record.
She drove a $350,000 (or $1.8 million in 2022) three-wheeled rocket car that Bill Fredrick developed, known as the “SMI Motivator,” which was propelled by hydrogen peroxide. Its top speed was 621 miles per hour (999 km/h), while its average speed was 512.710 mph (825.127 km/h).
Kitty O’Neil’s Husband And Relationships
Kitty O’Neil married Ronald Duffy Hambleton , who was a stunt performer and a bank executive in the1970’s. Unfortunately, they divorced, she married again and led to another divorce.
Kitty O’Neil’s Death
Unfortunately, Kitty O’Neil passed on at the age of 72 in Eureka South Dakota 2018, she died as a result of pneumonia. O’Neil’s achievements throughout the years was outstanding, considering her courage battling out with stuntmen.
She was honored with a doodle by google on March 24, 2023 to celebrate her 77th birthday even though she is no more, this was done to appreciate and celebrate her achievements. Kitty O’Neil is indeed a hero worth celebrating may her Soul Rest In Peace.
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