His celebrity mother’s biological parents gave her up for adoption when she was a newborn.
The star’s birth parents didn’t want her when she was born because having a career meant more to them than having children.
The actress’ adoptive parents had been lying about her background until the truth came to light.
Born on May 8, 1964, the future celebrity was treated in the now-closed French Hospital in Los Angeles. The actress was taken in by Barbara Crane and Paul Gilbert at the age of twenty-four hours.
The parents also adopted her younger brother, Jonathan. Paul was a stand-up comedian, actor, and dancer who started out as an aerialist with a family circus from Buenos Aires, while Barbara was an actress in her twenties whose career was cut short. When the small girl was six years old, Barbara and Paul parted ways, but his daughter had warm memories of dad and said:
“My father is the most intelligent, vivacious, funny, kind, and equitable person I have ever met.”
Many thought Paul had had a stroke while in bed when he went unexpectedly in 1976. Her adoption was announced to the world. In her memoir “Prairie Tale: A Memoir,” the famous person stated that she learned as a young child that her biological mother, Kathy Wood, was a prima ballerina, and that her father, David Darlington, had been a Rhodes Scholar.
Her adopted parents claim that her birth parents had no desire to quit their jobs in order to raise her. The celebrity’s father was in the middle of a project, therefore they had to give up their daughter because the timing of her birth was apparently off.
When she was old enough, she discovered the whole truth about her biological parents. Her birth mother was a dancer, but not a prima ballerina, and David painted signs and raced stock cars.
When Kathy and David were originally married to other people, they had three children together. Following their pregnancy, runaway, and move-in with their children, the couple came to the realization that they couldn’t afford a seventh child.
Her adoptive parents didn’t want her.
After her adopted father passed away, the actress was shocked to find out more about her adoption. Her godmother, Mitzi, spoke to her about the day her adoptive parents brought her up from the hospital.
She admitted that it was unexpected when the Gilberts returned carrying their new child. The actress was shocked by this and turned to face Barbara and other family members. She then admitted:
“Well, adopting a child wasn’t our original plan.”
When Barbara’s husband called to let them know the little girl would be available, they responded that they weren’t looking for a child. The celebrity’s adoptive mother was told to “go get it” by her out-of-state spouse when she called him.
She assured the writer that she wouldn’t put her children through the stress of having to keep such a terrible secret.
She was shocked to hear that she was being called a “it,” but Barbara explained that she wasn’t even born yet. Barbara later told her that they had been trying to get pregnant after hearing about her impending arrival.
The Gilberts were pursuing fertility treatments, but according to Barbara, they hadn’t discussed adoption until they received the call. In a July 2020 interview, the actress talked about her adopted family’s concealment.
The Family’s Secrets
The well-known individual said to “CBS Sunday Morning” that she found out her father had died from a stroke when she was just 11 years old. However, it was at 45 that she learned of his suicide.
The actress kept the information hidden from everyone in her life, even herself. She told the journalist that she would never put her kids through the trauma that these deeply held secrets inflict on families.
The actress hired an investigator to find out the truth about what really happened to her adopted father. The detective learned that the deceased World War II veteran had threatened to take his own life while receiving care from the VA and was in excruciating pain.
After finding out the truth about Paul, she battled the pain of losing her father in this way for about half a year. She was unable to eat or sleep during that period. But she has already accepted it, and she now strives to honor his legacy by advocating for suicide prevention and mental health awareness.
An actress was sighted at the Santa Monica Bowling Alley on January 23, 1982. Photo courtesy of Getty Images
The actress, who had been hurt and deceived for a long period, also accepted and showed forgiveness to Barbara for her choice to keep the truth hidden. The celebrity’s name and present lifestyle are revealed in the following chapter.
Who Is the Famous Actress Who Was Abandoned and Found Success?
As Laura “Half-Pint” Ingalls Wilder on the beloved television series “Little House on the Prairie,” which ran from 1974 to 1983, Melissa Gilbert is best known for her acting career. In July 2022, she released her autobiography, “Back to the Prairie,” and she is presently residing with her family.
The famous person said that she is “blessed” and that she is not with her deceased adoptive father; instead, she is in a separate place. She wishes Paul had experienced the joy of being a grandfather and the importance of having a life partner who makes you feel heard, secure, and loved.
Timothy Busfield, Melissa’s third husband, and she became grandparents to a total of eight grandchildren in May 2022. While going through his second divorce, Busfield observed the actress waiting for a buddy at an empty pub in 2012.
Melissa Gilbert and her husband Timothy Busfield attended a photocall for the 62nd Monte Carlo TV Festival on June 20, 2023, in Monte-Carlo, Monaco | Getty Images
The couple wed in a small ceremony in Santa Barbara, California in April 2013, with Melissa wearing a dress by Morgane Le Faye. When her daughter was unable to decide what she wanted, Barbara recommended the Santa Monica store for the brand.
She revealed in her book “Back to the Prairie” that Busfield attended the private function by himself, wearing a blue suit; there were no guests in attendance. The well-known individual gave birth to her first child, a son named Dakota Paul Brinkman, from her first marriage to actor Bo Brinkman, after spending almost a lifetime in Hollywood.
Born following her marriage to Bruce Boxleitner, Melissa’s second child is Michael Garrett Boxleitner. Busfield was a father and a grandfather to Wilson, Daisy, and Samuel. He currently lives in harmony with his spouse in a 14-acre cottage in New York’s Catskill Mountains.
