Netflix’s “Hell Camp: The Nightmare” delves into the work of Steven Cardano, offering insights from his spouse of several years, Deborah “Debbie” Cardano. Her perspective sheds light on the personal life of the former Air Force member and the trials faced by their family. The world is now curious about Debbie’s current situation, having stood by Steve for so long.
Debbie tied the knot with Steve Cardano back on December 15th, 1978, during his time in the Air Force. When Steve ventured into the Challenger Camp therapy program, Debbie admitted her initial unfamiliarity with the concept but noted her husband’s immense enthusiasm. Despite assumptions about their lavish lifestyle, Debbie clarified that their house in Utah was impressive, yet she grew uncomfortable with these assumptions.
The scrutiny faced by Challenger Camp after Kristen Chase’s death deeply affected Debbie and her family during the subsequent two-year legal battle. Financial struggles led Debbie to take up a retail job. Debbie became disillusioned with Steve’s involvement in another therapy camp, especially after the closure of Healthcare America due to legal issues. She urged Steve to abandon the idea of running such ventures.
During this challenging period, Debbie revealed her son David Cardano’s drug use. This revelation coincided with Steve’s association with Pacific Coast Academy under a pseudonym. The Cardanos faced scrutiny again due to the academy’s controversies. In the Netflix documentary, Debbie mourned the loss of her husband, who, after battling cancer for six or seven years, passed away on May 4th, 2019, succumbing to a heart attack.
Following Steve’s death, Debbie found solace in her four children: Jennifer, David, Daniel, and Katherine Cardano, the latter of whom appeared in the documentary, along with Katie. She also cherishes her two grandchildren, Jack and Olivia, from Jennifer’s marriage to Jason Sparin. Debbie leads a private life but candidly shared her past in the documentary, expressing regret over David’s imprisonment, a source of profound pain for her as he faces two to three more years behind bars.
