When she was a newborn, his celebrity’s biological parents placed her for adoption.
The star’s biological parents cared more about their jobs than being parents, so they didn’t want her when she was born.
For a long time, the actress’s adoptive parents kept her real story a secret. She was born on May 8, 1964, at the now-closed French Hospital in Los Angeles. Just a day after her birth, Barbara Crane and Paul Gilbert adopted her and gave her a new home.
Jonathan, her little brother, was also taken in by the couple. Barbara was a young actress in her twenties whose career didn’t last long, while Paul was a stand-up comedian, actor, and dancer who started out as an aerialist in a family circus from Buenos Aires. When Jonathan was just six years old, Barbara and Paul separated, but he always remembered his dad fondly, saying:
“I’ve never met anyone as smart, lively, funny, loving, and fair as my dad.”
When Paul died in 1976, many thought he had a stroke while resting in bed. The news about her adoption became public. In her book “Prairie Tale: A Memoir,” she shared that as a child, she learned her father, David Darlington, was a Rhodes Scholar and that her biological mother, Kathy Wood, was a prima ballerina.
According to her adoptive parents, her birth parents didn’t want to give up their careers to raise her. They claimed the timing of her birth was off, which led them to have to let her go since her dad was busy with a project.
As she grew older, she discovered the full story about her biological parents. While her birth mother wasn’t a prima ballerina, she was a dancer, and David worked as a stock car racer and sign painter.
Kathy and David each had three kids from their previous marriages when they got together. After they ran away, had a baby, and moved in with their children, they realized they couldn’t afford to take care of another child.
Parents Who Adopted Her Didn’t Want Her
The actress was shocked to discover more about her adoption after her adoptive father passed away. Mitzi, her godmother, shared the story of the day her adoptive parents brought her home from the hospital.
She mentioned that it was a surprise when the Gilberts came back with their new baby. This revelation surprised the actress, who looked at Barbara and other family members, and admitted, “Well, we weren’t planning on adopting a kid.”
When Barbara and her husband got a call saying that a little girl was ready for adoption, they said they weren’t looking to adopt. But when the actress’s adoptive mother called her husband, who lived in another state, he told her to “go get it.”
She told the journalist that she wouldn’t want her kids to carry the weight of such a heavy secret. It surprised her when she heard someone call her an “it,” but Barbara explained that she hadn’t even been born yet. Later, after finding out she was on the way, Barbara shared that they had been trying to have a baby.
Barbara mentioned that even though the Gilberts were going through fertility treatments, they didn’t talk about adoption until they received the call. In a July 2020 interview, the actress talked about how her adoptive family kept things private.
Family Secrets
The celebrity revealed on “CBS Sunday Morning” that she found out at 11 years old that her father had died from a stroke. However, she discovered at 45 that he had actually taken his own life.
The actress kept this secret from everyone, including herself. She told the interviewer that she would never want her children to experience the pain that such deep secrets can cause in families.
To uncover the truth about her adoptive father, the actress hired a detective. The detective discovered that the World War II veteran had threatened to end his life while he was being treated at the VA and was suffering greatly.
She struggled with the pain of losing her father for about six months after discovering the truth about Paul. During that tough time, she found it hard to eat or sleep. However, she has managed to come to terms with her loss and now honors his memory by promoting mental health awareness and suicide prevention.
The actress eventually forgave Barbara for hiding the truth, even though she felt angry and betrayed for a long time. The next part of the story will reveal the actress’s name and how she lives now.
Who Is the Star Who Was Left Behind and Became a Famous Actress?
Melissa Gilbert is the actress known for playing Laura “Half-Pint” Ingalls Wilder on the beloved TV show “Little House on the Prairie,” which aired from 1974 to 1983. She released her memoir, “Back to the Prairie,” in July 2022, and is currently enjoying time with her family.
The actress expressed that she feels “blessed” and noted that she is in a different place compared to her late adoptive father. She hopes Paul experienced the joy of having grandchildren and the importance of having a partner who makes you feel heard, safe, and loved.
In May 2022, Melissa and her third husband, Timothy Busfield, became grandparents to eight grandchildren. Busfield first noticed the actress in 2012 while he was going through his second divorce, as she was waiting for a friend at an empty bar.
In April 2013, the couple tied the knot in a small ceremony in Santa Barbara, California. Melissa wore a beautiful dress designed by Morgane Le Faye. When Barbara’s daughter was unsure about what she wanted, Barbara recommended checking out the Santa Monica store of the same brand.
In her book “Back to the Prairie,” she shared that Busfield, who wore a blue suit, was the only one at the private event; there were no guests at all. After spending many years in Hollywood, the actress welcomed her first child, a son named Dakota Paul Brinkman, from her previous marriage to actor Bo Brinkman.
Melissa’s second child, Michael Garrett Boxleitner, was born after she married Bruce Boxleitner. Besides being a dad, Busfield also raised three kids: Wilson, Daisy, and Samuel. He and his wife now enjoy a quiet life in a cozy 14-acre home in the Catskill Mountains of New York.
