Kristi Yamaguchi tells Nancy Kerrigan to ‘break a leg’ on ‘DWTS,’ Twitter gasps in horror

Kristi Yamaguchi caused a gasp heard round the world when she told Nancy Kerrigan to “break a leg” ahead of the former ice skater’s debut on the new season of “Dancing with the Stars.”

So excited for you @NancyAKerrigan ! Can’t wait to see you grace that ballroom floor, break a leg! ??#DWTS

— Kristi Yamaguchi (@kristiyamaguchi) March 20, 2017

While “break a leg” is a common way to say “good luck,” the phrase kind of — ahem — hits close to home when said in reference to Kerrigan.

Kerrigan, in Detroit to compete in the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, was attacked in the knee with a police baton on Jan. 6, 1994. The aftermath, in which Kerrigan was seen crying, “Why, why, why,” was captured on film and spread around the world.

The ex-husband of her rival, Tonya Harding, planned the attack now known as “The Whack Heard Round the World.” Harding was later banned from the U.S. Figure Skating Association as both a skater and a coach.

Fellow skater and 1992 Winter Olympics gold medalist Yamaguchi, who also won season six of “DWTS,” was put on blast by Twitter users for her comment to the new “DWTS” contender.

But Kerrigan gets a 10 for staying cool and thanked Yamaguchi for the advice, saying she was “excited to get this started.”

Thank you so much Kristi! I’m excited to get this started said for the advice you had for me. this its a blast! https://t.co/MMagD7gLgw

— Nancy Kerrigan (@NancyAKerrigan) March 20, 2017