Kumari Shreya
Given the emphasis that Netflix’s ‘Hell Camp: Teen Nightmare’ puts on the work of Stephen “Steve” Cartisano, it is certainly interesting to hear about the man from his spouse of several years, Deborah “Debbie” Cartisano. Her insight into the personal life of the former Air Force member allowed the world to understand Steve a bit more while also shedding light on how his own family had to go through several ups and downs. As such, the world is curious about the current whereabouts of the woman who stood by his side for so long.
Who is Debbie Cartisano?
Debbie Cartisano actually got married to Steve Castisano while he was still in the Air Force. The two tied the knot on December 15, 1978. When Steve started the therapy camp called Challenger Camp, Debbie admitted that she did not know much about the concept but knew that her husband was extremely excited about it all. While she did not seem comfortable with the assumption that she and her family had been living immensely lavishly due to the money given to them by concerned parents, Debbie did admit that the Cartisano house in Utah was certainly an impressive one.
When the Challenger Camp came under scrutiny following the death of Kristen Chase, Debbie recalled how the fallout affected her and her family. She stated that the two years of legal battle that her husband went through affected their family severely as they struggled financially, with her having to take up a retail job as well. Given how things had unfolded, she had seemingly grown disenchanted with the idea of her husband running another therapy camp, even though Steve went on to start Healthcare America.
Healthcare America was also shut down soon following legal troubles, and Debbie now seemed insistent that her husband should give up on the idea of running his own therapy camp. Around the same time, she confessed that her “shy” son, David Cartisano, had started using drugs. Hence, when Steve became affiliated with Pacific Coast Academy under a pseudonym, the Cartisanos decided to send their son there. Pacific Coast Academy’s murky workings and the reveal of the same once again brought the Cartisanos under scrutiny.
Debbie Cartisano is a Mother of Four
As shared by Debbie Cartisano in the Netflix movie, she lost her husband, Steve Cartisano. The former Air Force member had been fighting cancer for a very long time and ended up passing away on May 4, 2019. Though he has been battling with cancer for about six or seven years, his cause of death was actually a heart attack. In the wake of her husband’s demise, Debbie takes comfort in the presence of her four children and her two grandchildren.
Indeed, Debbie is a mother to Jennifer, David, Daniel, and Catherine Cartisano, the latter of whom appeared in the documentary as well as Catie. She also has two grandchildren, Jack and Olivia Sparlin, thanks to Jennifer’s marriage to Jason Sparlin. Still mourning the loss of her husband, Debbie seemingly leads a private life. That said, she was open to candidly talking about her past in the movie. She does seem to have some regrets over the fate of her son David, who she shared is to remain in prison for about two to three more years, something that seemed to cause her immense pain.
Read More: Lance “Horsehair” Jaggar: Where is Challenger Camp Field Director Now?
