Who is Debra Bollman? Meet the stenographer who became an internet sensation
Stenographer Debra Bollman became an internet sensation in 2015 after a viral moment with then-NCAA basketball athlete Nigel Hayes. Since then, many people have become more interested in her personal and professional life.
Source: Facebook
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Debra Bollman's reporter and stenographer career dates back to the late 1990s. Despite her viral fame, she usually maintains a low profile and cherishes spending time with her husband and her three children, who are now grown-ups.
Debra Bollman's profile summary
| Full name | Debra Bollman Farfan |
| Age | 53 years old as of January 2025 |
| Date of birth | October 30, 1971 |
| Birth sign | Scorpio |
| Place of birth | Riverside, California, United States |
| Residence | Norco, California, and Nevada, Florida |
| Nationality | American |
| Religion | Christian |
| Hair colour | Dark brown |
| Eye colour | Hazel |
| Gender | Female |
| Sexual orientation | Straight |
| Marital status | Married |
| Husband | Anthony J. Farfan (2017 to date) |
| Children | Three, including daughters Sophia and Saylor and son Simeon |
| Education | California School of Court Reporting |
| Profession | Stenographer, court reporter, real estate agent |
| Years active | Late 1990s to date |
| Social media | LinkedInInstagramFacebook |
Who is Debra Bollman?
Debra Bollman is an American stenographer and real estate agent from California, United States. She has been a real-time trial court reporter since 1998, according to her LinkedIn profile.
Bollman was made the vice president of Cal-CCRA California Court Reporters Association in 2016. She started working at New York City-based ASAP Sports in 2006 as a Sports Stenographer and Marketing Director.
The stenographer graduated from the California School of Court Reporting in 1997 with a 4.0 GPA. She became a Certified Realtime Captioner by the National Court Reporters Association (NCRA) in 2006.
Debra became a Registered Merit Reporter (RMR) in 2008 and passed the Certified Realtime Generalist (CRG) Exam in 2024. She is also a Registered Diplomate Reporter and is court-approved in Los Angeles, Riverside, and Orange County.
Source: Original
Nigel Hayes and Debra Bollman's viral incident
Debra Bollman gained unexpected fame in March 2015 during an NCAA basketball press conference at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. While working for ASAP Sports, she was typing transcripts when then-Wisconsin Badgers basketball player Nigel Hayes made an unexpected remark that caught everyone off-guard.
Nigel whispered to his teammate, "She's beautiful," not realizing his microphone was on. After realizing that his mic was on, he asked the crowd, "Did you hear that?" while covering his face.
The video went viral, making Debra an overnight internet sensation. She was invited to several media stations, including Fox News, where she was asked about the incident, to which she replied,
It was so sweet and honest, and he was really respectful – I've had to turn my phone off pretty much...Nigel handled himself through the press conference and then he kind of scooted out of there because it's all about basketball.
Source: Getty Images
Debra Bollman's husband
The court reporter is currently married to Anthony J. Farfan from Walnut, California. Anthony is the Vice President of Sales & Marketing at Realtime Depos & Trials, a California-based independent court reporting agency that Debra Bollman co-founded.
Anthony and Debra tied the knot in September 2017 after several years of dating. He occasionally shares pictures of him spending time with the family on his self-titled Facebook page. In September 2023, Anthony celebrated their 6th marriage anniversary with a Facebook post, writing,
Life has never been the same from 6 years ago, and frankly, I don't ever wanna go back! Better as one! Happy Anniversario!
Source: UGC
Debra Bollman's children
The stenographer has three children, including two daughters and a son. Debra Bollman's daughter, Sophia Bollman (born July 1998), is a singer and travels around the United States to perform.
Sophia is currently in a relationship with Alessio Barbagallo, a cruise ship captain. She has a close relationship with her mother, and the two occasionally post each other on social media. In October 2024, she celebrated Debra's 53rd birthday with a sweet Instagram post, writing,
Happy Birthday to my incredible mother. The love, support, and endless guidance you provide to me and your family is unconditional! Happy Birthday, you beautiful lady.
Debra Bollman's other daughter, Saylor, is married to Olmos and maintains a private life. Her son Simeon (born January 1994) has also kept his life away from the spotlight. He is currently engaged to Katie Sprague, according to her Facebook page.
Source: UGC
It has almost been a decade since the viral moment that put Debra Bollman into the spotlight. She continues to be a dedicated stenographer and courtroom reporter.
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