A life built on lies? The truth about the adoption of this star shocks the world.
For decades, an American sweetheart – an innocent, beloved child star with a seemingly perfect life. But for smiles and television cameras, it will put a network of secrets and fraud that would take her decades to reveal. What if it turned out that everything you believed in your past? What if the people who raised you never planned for you?
This is a shocking story of a girl who was unknowingly abandoned, unconsciously adopted, and unconsciously misleading her origin – she broke everything up to the truth.
Gave up at birth
Melissa Gilbert, best known for his role, in Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House on a Prairie, was given up for adoption at birth. Her biological parents, Kathy Wood, and David Darlington, preferred their careers and felt they couldn’t afford to raise another child.
Melissa was born on May 8, 1964, at the French hospital in Los Angeles and took Barbara Crane and Paul Gilbert just 24 hours after her birth. The couple did not plan adoption, but when they accepted the child’s availability, Paul urged the barbarian to bring her home. Later they also accepted Meliss’s younger brother Jonathan.
Paul, a former air actor and comedian, and Barbara, an actress with a short-term career, divorced when Melissa was six. She remembered her adoptive father as a loving, talented, and funny man. His tragic walking in 1976, however, was originally attributed to a stroke – something Melissa later discovered was false.
Family Secrets Revealed
Melissa grew up and believed in a fictional story of her origin. Her adoptive parents told her that her native mother was a nice ballerina and her father was a Rhodes Scholar. Kathy was a dancer, but not at this level, and David worked as a painter and car racer. Before they decided not to support the seventh, they had previous marriages and six children between them.
Until adulthood, Melissa learned more shocking truths. After graduating from her adoptive father, her godfather revealed that her adoption was a surprise for Barbara and Paul. Barbara admitted that they did not consider adoption, but took Melissa after accepting an unexpected phone call.
At 11, Melissa was said to have died of a stroke, but at the age of 4,5, she learned that he had died suicide because of severe pain while under care for VA. She fought deeply with revelation and experienced months of insomnia and loss of appetite. In the end, he coped with the truth and decided to honor his memory by defending mental health and preventing suicide.
Finding happiness in adulthood
Despite the betrayal she originally felt, Melissa forgave Barbara to prevent the truth from her. Since then, she has built a fulfilling life and has accepted happiness and family. In 2022 she released her memory back to Prairia and thought about her journey.
Melissa was married three times. He shares his son Dakota with his first husband Bo Brinkman and son Michael with his second husband Bruce Boxleitner. In 2013 she married actor and director Timothy Busfield at an intimate ceremony in Santa Barbara. Now the couple enjoys a quiet life on the real estate about 14 acres in the Catskill Mountains in New York and appreciates time with a mixed family that includes eight grandchildren.
Despite the stormy past full of family secrets, Melissa Gilbert has found peace, love, and purpose, and transformed her painful experiences in the story of resistance and strength.
Melissa Gilbert: From unexpected adoption to star
Melissa Gilbert, best known for his role, in Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House on the Prairie, was given up for adoption at birth. Her biological parents, Kathy Wood, and David Darlington, preferred their careers and felt they couldn’t afford to raise another child.
Melissa was born on May 8, 1964, at the French hospital in Los Angeles and took Barbara Crane and Paul Gilbert just 24 hours after her birth. The couple did not plan adoption, but when they accepted the child’s availability, Paul urged the barbarian to bring her home. Later they also accepted Meliss’s younger brother Jonathan.
Paul, a former air actor and comedian, and Barbara, an actress with a short-term career, divorced when Melissa was six. She remembered her adoptive father as a loving, talented, and funny man. His tragic walking in 1976, however, was originally attributed to a stroke – something Melissa later discovered was false.
Family Secrets Revealed
Melissa grew up and believed in a fictional story of her origin. Her adoptive parents told her that her native mother was a nice ballerina and her father was a Rhodes Scholar. Kathy was a dancer, but not at this level, and David worked as a painter and car racer. Before they decided not to support the seventh, they had previous marriages and six children between them.
Until adulthood, Melissa learned more shocking truths. After graduating from her adoptive father, her godfather revealed that her adoption was a surprise for Barbara and Paul. Barbara admitted that they did not consider adoption, but took Melissa after accepting an unexpected phone call.
At 11, Melissa was said to have died of a stroke, but at the age of 4,,,5 she learned that Hadhay died suicide because of severe pain while under care for VA. She fought deeply with revelation and experienced months of insomnia and loss of appetite. In the end, he coped with the truth and decided to honor his memory by defending mental health and preventing suicide.
Finding happiness in adulthood
Despite the betrayal she originally felt, Melissa forgave Barbara to prevent the truth from her. Since then, she has built a fulfilling life and has accepted happiness and family. In 2022 she released her memory back to Prairia and thought about her journey.
Melissa was married three times. He shares his son Dakota with his first husband Bo Brinkman and son Michael with his second husband Bruce Boxleitner. In 2013 she married actor and director Timothy Busfield at an intimate ceremony in Santa Barbara. Now the couple enjoys a quiet life on real estate about 14 acres in the Catskill Mountains in New York and appreciates time with a mixed family that includes eight grandchildren.
Despite the stormy past full of family secrets, Melissa Gilbert found peace, love, and purpose and transformed her painful experiences into a
The life story of Melissa Gilbert is one of resistance, self-knowledge, and ultimately peace. From unexpected adoption and hidden family secrets to a successful Hollywood career and fulfilling personal life overcame immense challenges with grace.
Despite the pain of revealing difficult truths about her past, she accepted her way and decided to focus on love, family, and defense. Melissa has now happily settled with her husband, Timothy Busfield, in their quiet Catskill Mountain house, and continues to seek joy in his mixed family and simple pleasure in life, as evidence that even the most difficult beginnings can lead to a beautiful and meaningful future.