This Girl Became a Successful Child Star after Bio Parents Gave Her up to Family Who Had ‘No Plans’ to Adopt

This celebrity was given up for adoption by her biological parents when she was just an infant. Her birth parents chose to prioritize their careers over raising her when she was born. The actress’ adoptive parents concealed her true origins until the truth eventually emerged.

Born on May 8, 1964, in The French Hospital in Los Angeles, which no longer exists, this future star was adopted when she was just 24 hours old by Barbara Crane and Paul Gilbert.

Paul, initially an aerialist with a family circus from Buenos Aires, became a stand-up comic, actor, and dancer. Barbara, who was an actress in her twenties, saw her career end prematurely. The couple also adopted a younger brother for the star, Jonathan. When the little girl was six, Barbara and Paul separated, and she later recalled her father as:

“My father was the most incredibly talented, vivacious, funny, loving, fair person I ever knew.”

Paul passed away in 1976, believed to have died from a stroke in his sleep. The fact of her adoption was not hidden from her. In her book, “Prairie Tale: A Memoir,” she shared that she was told her biological mother, Kathy Wood, was a prima ballerina and her father, David Darlington, a Rhodes Scholar.

However, her adoptive parents explained that her birth parents were not ready to give up their careers to raise a child. It was said her father was deeply involved in a project at the time of her birth, making the timing inconvenient.

As she grew older, she uncovered more about her biological parents. Her mother was indeed a dancer, though not a prima ballerina, and her father was a sign painter and stock car racer, not a Rhodes Scholar.

Kathy and David were both previously married with three children each. They had an affair, became pregnant, and moved in together with their children but eventually realized they could not afford to raise another child.

Unexpected Adoption and Hidden Truths

After her adoptive father passed away, the actress was stunned to uncover further details about her adoption. Her godmother, Mitzi, shared insights into the day her adoptive parents brought her home from the hospital.

Mitzi revealed that it was quite unexpected when the Gilberts arrived with their new daughter. Surprised by this revelation, the actress looked to Barbara, who admitted, “I mean, we had no plans to adopt a child.”

Barbara recounted that they weren’t initially looking to adopt when they received a phone call informing them that a little girl was available. Barbara called her husband, who was traveling, and he instructed her to “go get it.” Shocked to hear herself referred to as “it,” the actress learned that at the time, Barbara didn’t feel a personal connection because she hadn’t been born yet. Later, Barbara explained that they had been trying to conceive and were undergoing fertility treatments when they were notified of the baby’s availability.

In a July 2020 interview, the actress discussed how secretive her adoptive family was, adding layers to her complex family history.

Unveiling Family Secrets

During an interview with “CBS Sunday Morning,” the celebrity revealed that she was told at age 11 that her father died from a stroke. However, at age 45, she discovered the truth: he had died by suicide.

The reality of her father’s death had been kept from everyone, including her. She reflected on the damage that such secrets can inflict on families, something she vowed never to do to her own children.

Determined to uncover the full story, the actress hired a detective who found that the late World War II veteran had been in severe pain while under VA care and had threatened to take his own life, which he eventually did.

The revelation deeply affected her; for about six months, she struggled to eat or sleep as she processed the loss of her father in such a tragic manner. Over time, she has come to terms with his decision and now honors his memory by advocating for mental health awareness and suicide prevention, turning her personal tragedy into a force for greater awareness and change.

After grappling with feelings of betrayal and resentment, the star ultimately accepted and forgave Barbara for concealing the truth. The identity of this celebrity and details about her current life are revealed in the next chapter.

 Who Is the Star Who Overcame Early Abandonment to Become a Beloved Actress?

The actress in question is Melissa Gilbert, best known for her cherished role as Laura “Half-Pint” Ingalls Wilder on the iconic series “Little House on the Prairie,” which aired from 1974 to 1983. In July 2022, she released her memoir, “Back to the Prairie,” and now enjoys her time with family.

Melissa considers herself “blessed” and acknowledges that she is in a far different place than her late adoptive father was. She wishes that Paul could have experienced the joy that grandchildren bring and the love of a life partner who provides safety, cherishment, and understanding.

Melissa is married to Timothy Busfield, her third husband, and as of May 2022, they were grandparents to a combined eight grandchildren. Their paths crossed in 2012 when Busfield, amid his second divorce, entered an empty bar and saw Melissa waiting for a friend.

The couple held a small ceremony in April 2013 in Santa Barbara, California, to tie the knot with Melissa wearing a Morgane Le Faye dress. Barbara was the one who suggested the brand’s Santa Monica store when her daughter couldn’t decide what she wanted.

In her “Back to the Prairie” book, she revealed that the private affair, where Busfield wore a blue suit, didn’t have guests, as it was just the two of them. The celebrity, who spent almost all her life in Hollywood, welcomed her first child son, Dakota Paul Brinkman, from her first marriage to actor Bo Brinkman.

Melissa’s second child, Michael Garrett Boxleitner, came when she married her second husband, Bruce Boxleitner. Busfield was also a parent of three children, Samuel, Daisy, and Wilson, and he and his wife now live quietly in a 14-acre Catskill Mountain cottage in New York.