His celebrity’s biological parents put her up for adoption when she was an infant.
The star’s birth parents didn’t want her when she was born because they valued their careers more than having a child.
The actress’s adoptive parents had been lying about her background until the truth came to light.
It was on May 8, 1964, when the future star was born at the now-defunct French Hospital in Los Angeles. When the actress was only twenty-four hours old, Barbara Crane and Paul Gilbert adopted her.
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, and Barbara was a twentysomething actress whose career was cut short. When the small child was six years old, Barbara and Paul split up, but his daughter had fond memories of dad, stating:
“My father is the most intelligent, vivacious, funny, kind, and equitable person I have ever met.”
Many people thought Paul had had a stroke while in bed when he died in 1976. The public was informed of her adoption. According to the celebrity’s book “Prairie Tale: A Memoir,” she was told as a small child that her biological mother, Kathy Wood, was a prima ballerina and that her father, David Darlington, had been a Rhodes Scholar.
According to her adopted parents, her birth parents did not want to quit their jobs to raise their child. The star was apparently born at the wrong time, and because her father was working on a project, they were forced to give up their daughter.
When she was old enough, she discovered the whole truth about her biological parents. David was a sign painter and stock car driver, and her birth mother was a dancer, though not a prima ballerina.
When Kathy and David were originally married to other people, they had three children together. The couple discovered they couldn’t sustain a seventh child after fleeing, getting pregnant, and moving in with their children.
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, described the day her adoptive parents brought her up from the hospital.
She said it was a surprise when the Gilberts returned with their new kid. The actress was shocked by this and turned to Barbara and other family members, who then admitted:
“Well, adopting a child was not in our plans.”
Barbara and her husband responded that they weren’t looking for a child when they were called to let them know the young girl would be available. Her out-of-state hubby told the celebrity’s adoptive mother to “go get it” when she called him.
She informed the reporter that she would not burden her children with such a sinister secret.
Barbara explained that she hadn’t even been born yet, yet she was surprised to hear herself called a “it.” Later, when she found out she was coming, Barbara told her they had been trying to get pregnant.
According to Barbara, the Gilberts were receiving fertility treatments, but 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 revealed to “CBS Sunday Morning” that she discovered her father had died of a stroke when she was eleven years old. However, she learned of his suicide at the age of 45.
The actress kept the secret from herself and everyone else in her life. “I would never expose my children to the damage that such intimate secrets cause to families,” she told the interviewer.
The actress hired a detective to find out the truth about her adopted father’s fate. The detective found out that the deceased World War II veteran was in terrible pain and had threatened suicide while being treated by the VA.
For over six months after discovering the truth about Paul, she battled the pain of losing her father in this manner. She couldn’t eat or sleep throughout that period. However, she has finally accepted it and is now working to protect his memory by advocating for suicide prevention and mental health awareness.
An actress was seen at the Santa Monica Bowling Alley on January 23, 1982 | Source: Getty Images
Despite her long-standing anger and feelings of betrayal, the actress also accepted and forgiven Barbara for her choice to hide the truth. The celebrity’s name and present lifestyle are revealed in the following chapter.
Which celebrity was abandoned and went on to become a well-known actress?
The most well-known part Melissa Gilbert played as an actor was that of Laura “Half-Pint” Ingalls Wilder on the beloved television series “Little House on the Prairie,” which aired from 1974 to 1983. She is currently spending time with her family after publishing her book, “Back to the Prairie,” in July 2022.
The star said she feels “blessed” and that she is in a different place than her adoptive father, who passed away. She wishes Paul had experienced the joy of having grandchildren and the importance of having a life partner who makes you feel loved, safe, and heard.
In May 2022, Melissa and her third husband, Timothy Busfield, welcomed eight grandchildren into their family. In 2012, during his second divorce, Busfield saw the actress at an empty tavern, waiting for a friend.
Melissa wore a dress designed by Morgane Le Faye for the couple’s private wedding in Santa Barbara, California, in April 2013. Barbara recommended the brand’s Santa Monica store to her daughter when she was unable to decide what she wanted.
In her book “Back to the Prairie,” she revealed that Busfield, wearing a blue suit, was the only person at the private gathering—no guests were there. The well-known individual had her first child, a son named Dakota Paul Brinkman, from her first marriage to actor Bo Brinkman after spending almost a lifetime in Hollywood.
Following her marriage to Bruce Boxleitner, Melissa gave birth to her second child, Michael Garrett Boxleitner. In addition to being a father, Busfield brought up Wilson, Daisy, and Samuel. Currently, he and his spouse live in peace and quiet at a 14-acre cottage in New York’s Catskill Mountains.
