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

When she was a newborn, his celebrity’s biological parents placed her for adoption.

Because their occupations meant more to them than raising a child, the star’s birth parents didn’t want her when she was born.

Up until the truth was revealed, the actress’ adoptive parents had been lying about her background.
The French Hospital in Los Angeles, which is now defunct, was the hospital where the future celebrity was born on May 8, 1964. The actress was adopted by Barbara Crane and Paul Gilbert, who took her in when she was just 24 hours old.

Paul Gilbert, their daughter, and Barbara Crane at the 4th Annual People's Choice Awards on February 20, 1978 | Source: Getty Images


Jonathan, her younger brother, was also adopted by the couple. Barbara was a twentysomething actress whose career was cut short, and Paul was a stand-up comedian, actor, and dancer who began as an aerialist with a family circus from Buenos Aires. Barbara and Paul parted ways when the young child was six years old, but his daughter remembered him with affection, saying:

“I have never known a more brilliant, energetic, humorous, loving, and fair person than my father.”

When Paul passed away in 1976, many believed he had suffered a stroke while in bed. Her adoption was made public. The celebrity claimed in her book “Prairie Tale: A Memoir” that she was informed when she was a young kid that her father, David Darlington, had been a Rhodes Scholar and that her biological mother, Kathy Wood, was a prima ballerina.

Her birth parents reportedly had no desire to give up their occupations in order to raise her, according to her adopted parents. The timing of the celebrity’s birth was allegedly incorrect, and as a result, they had to give up their daughter because her father was in the middle of a project.

She learned the whole truth about her biological parents when she was old enough. Although not a prima ballerina, her birth mother was a dancer, and David was a stock car racer and sign painter.

Kathy and David had three children between them when they were first married to other people. After running away, becoming pregnant, and moving in with their kids, the couple realized they couldn’t support a seventh child.

Parents Who Adopted Her Didn’t Want Her

The actress was stunned to learn more about her adoption after the death of her adopted father. Mitzi, her godmother, talked about the day she was picked up from the hospital by her adoptive parents.

She acknowledged that when the Gilberts returned with their new baby, it came as a shock. This astonished the actress, who looked to Barbara, along with other family members, and she confessed:

“Well, we weren’t planning on adopting a kid.”

When Barbara and her husband received a call informing them that the little girl will be available, they replied they weren’t seeking for a kid. When the celebrity’s adoptive mother phoned her out-of-state spouse, he instructed her to “go get it.”

She said to the journalist that she wouldn’t subject her kids to the burden of such a dark secret.
She was taken aback to hear herself referred to as a “it,” but Barbara clarified that she hadn’t even been born yet. Later, after learning of her upcoming arrival, Barbara revealed to her that they had been attempting to conceive.

Barbara claims that although the Gilberts were undergoing fertility treatments, they had not brought up the subject of adoption until they got the call. The actress discussed the secrecy of her adoptive family in an interview from July 2020.

The Secrets of the Family
The famous person disclosed to “CBS Sunday Morning” that she learned at the age of 11 that her father had passed away due to a stroke. But she found out at 45 that he had committed suicide.

The actress concealed the secret from everyone in her life, even herself. She informed the interviewer that she would never subject her children to the harm that such deep secrets do to families.

To learn the truth about what had happened to her adopted father, the actress engaged a detective. 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.

An actress seen at the Santa Monica Bowling Alley in Santa Monica on January 23, 1982 | Source: Getty Images

She fought the anguish of losing her father in this way for approximately six months after learning the truth about Paul. During that time, she was unable to eat or sleep. She has since come to terms with it, though, and now works to preserve his memory by supporting mental health awareness and suicide prevention.

On January 23, 1982, an actress was spotted in Santa Monica at the Santa Monica Bowling Alley | Source: Getty Images
The actress also accepted and forgave Barbara for her decision to conceal the truth, even though she had been angry and betrayed for a long time. The next chapter reveals the celebrity’s name and her current way of life.

Who Is the Star Who Got Abandoned and Went on to Become a Famous Actress?
Melissa Gilbert is the actress, best known for her role as Laura “Half-Pint” Ingalls Wilder on the adored television program “Little House on the Prairie,” which ran from 1974 to 1983. She published her memoir, “Back to the Prairie,” in July 2022, and she is currently spending time with her family.

The celebrity acknowledged that she is “blessed” and mentioned that she is in a different place from her deceased adoptive father. She wants Paul to have felt the happiness that comes with having grandkids and the value of having a life partner who makes you feel listened, safe, 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 at a photocall during the 62nd Monte Carlo TV Festival on June 20, 2023, in Monte-Carlo, Monaco | Getty Images

On June 20, 2023, in Monte-Carlo, Monaco, Melissa Gilbert and her spouse Timothy Busfield attended a photocall for the 62nd Monte Carlo TV Festival | Getty Images
In April 2013, the pair got married in an intimate ceremony in Santa Barbara, California, with Melissa donning a dress by Morgane Le Faye. When Barbara’s daughter couldn’t determine what she wanted, Barbara suggested the brand’s Santa Monica store.

She disclosed in her book “Back to the Prairie” that Busfield, dressed in a blue suit, was alone at the private event; no guests were present. After nearly a lifetime in Hollywood, the famous person had her first kid, a son named Dakota Paul Brinkman, from her first marriage to the actor Bo Brinkman.

Michael Garrett Boxleitner is Melissa’s second child, born after her marriage to Bruce Boxleitner. Along with being a father, Busfield raised three children: Wilson, Daisy, and Samuel. He and his wife currently reside peacefully in a 14-acre cottage in the Catskill Mountains of New York.

Homeless Man Asked Me to Take His Dog – A Month Later, I Received a Mysterious Letter

I never expected my life to change on an ordinary afternoon, much less because of a stranger’s plea. When a homeless man asked me to take his dog, I was reluctant, overwhelmed by my own struggles. But a month later, I received a letter that left me in tears. What was in it? And how did it bring our lives together?

Sometimes, life has a way of surprising you when you least expect it.

For me, it all started with a simple request from a man who had nothing but love for his dog.

A close-up shot of a dog | Source: Pexels

A close-up shot of a dog | Source: Pexels

It had been a year since my husband, Jason, passed away in a car accident. A year of struggling to hold myself together, to be strong for my 8-year-old son, Liam.

Some days were harder than others, but every day felt like a battle.

You see, losing Jason shattered my world.

He wasn’t just my husband. He was my partner. My best friend. My everything.

At first, I didn’t think I could go on.

A close-up shot of an upset woman | Source: Midjourney

A close-up shot of an upset woman | Source: Midjourney

I’d wake up to the emptiness of our bed, hear the silence where his laugh used to echo, and feel the ache in my chest that never seemed to go away.

But every time I felt like giving up, I’d look at Liam. He needed me.

I couldn’t crumble when he was depending on me.

Liam, my sweet boy, had inherited Jason’s kind heart. He’d notice when I was having a hard day and quietly slip his arms around me.

A boy sitting at the breakfast table | Source: Midjourney

A boy sitting at the breakfast table | Source: Midjourney

“It’s okay, Mom,” he’d say, his small voice full of reassurance. “I’m here for you.”

His words always brought tears to my eyes, but they also gave me strength.

My little Liam was with me when we were leaving the grocery store that day. He was wearing his oversized coat, chattering about his school project.

His enthusiasm was one of the few things that could still make me smile, even on my darkest days.

As we loaded the bags into the trunk, I noticed a man sitting at the edge of the parking lot.

A homeless man sitting with a dog | Source: Pexels

A homeless man sitting with a dog | Source: Pexels

He was huddled under a threadbare blanket, his face red from the biting cold. Beside him sat a small, scruffy dog, trembling as it pressed against his side.

“Mom,” Liam said, tugging on my sleeve, “the dog looks so cold. Can we help?”

I glanced at the man, then at Liam. My heart sank. We didn’t have much to give. Money was tight, and I was barely keeping us afloat.

“Sweetheart, we can’t take on another problem right now,” I said gently, closing the trunk.

But as we prepared to leave, the man stood and approached us.

I instinctively froze, holding Liam close.

A woman standing in a parking lot | Source: Midjourney

A woman standing in a parking lot | Source: Midjourney

“Ma’am,” he began, his voice hoarse and hesitant, “I’m sorry to bother you, but… would you take my dog?”

I blinked, unsure if I’d heard him correctly. “What?”

He looked down, his face filled with shame.

“Her name’s Daisy,” he said. “She’s all I have, but I… I can’t take care of her anymore. She’s freezing, and I don’t have enough to feed her. She deserves better than this.”

I didn’t know what to say. The desperation in his eyes was unmistakable.

A homeless man extending his hand | Source: Pexels

A homeless man extending his hand | Source: Pexels

My first instinct was to say no. I mean, how could I possibly take on a dog when I was barely holding things together?

But then Liam tugged on my hand, his big, pleading eyes looking up at me.

“Mom, please. She needs us,” he whispered.

I looked at Daisy, her matted fur and trembling body, and my resolve crumbled. I couldn’t say no.

Not with Liam’s hopeful face and the man’s brokenhearted plea.

A boy looking straight ahead | Source: Midjourney

A boy looking straight ahead | Source: Midjourney

“All right,” I said softly, crouching down to pet Daisy. “We’ll take her.”

The man’s eyes filled with tears. “Thank you,” he said, his voice breaking. “Thank you so much.”

As we drove home that day, I couldn’t stop glancing at Daisy in the backseat. She was curled up beside Liam.

I didn’t sleep much that first night. Daisy whined softly from her spot in the living room, clearly uneasy in her new surroundings.

A dog in a living room | Source: Midjourney

A dog in a living room | Source: Midjourney

Liam had spread out his favorite blanket for her, the one with the cartoon dinosaurs he refused to sleep without.

“It’s okay, Daisy,” he said, patting her head with his little hands. “You’re safe now, okay? We love you.”

Watching them together filled me with an unexpected warmth.

And for some reason, the heaviness in my chest felt a little lighter. I guess I hadn’t felt this content ever since Jason passed away.

Over the next few weeks, Daisy became part of our little family.

A side-view shot of a dog | Source: Midjourney

A side-view shot of a dog | Source: Midjourney

Liam doted on her, feeding her, brushing her tangled fur, and even reading her bedtime stories.

“She likes ‘Goodnight Moon’ best,” he announced one evening with complete seriousness.

I couldn’t help but laugh. “Is that so?”

“She wagged her tail when I read it,” he insisted, as Daisy rested her head on his lap, her eyes half-closed.

A boy sitting on a couch | Source: Midjourney

A boy sitting on a couch | Source: Midjourney

Daisy brought something into our home that we hadn’t realized we were missing. Joy.

Liam’s giggles echoed through the house when she chased after a ball or licked his face with abandon.

Even I found myself smiling more, feeling a small sense of purpose in caring for her. It wasn’t just Daisy who needed us. We needed her too.

Then, a month later, something unexpected happened.

A woman looking straight ahead | Source: Midjourney

A woman looking straight ahead | Source: Midjourney

It was a cold evening.

Liam was doing his homework at the kitchen table while Daisy snoozed by his feet. I was sorting through mail when I noticed an envelope tucked among the bills and grocery store coupons.

It was plain, with no stamp or return address.

It just had the words, From your old friend written in shaky handwriting.

Curious, I opened it and pulled out a folded piece of paper. As I read the letter inside, my heart clenched.

A woman reading a letter | Source: Midjourney

A woman reading a letter | Source: Midjourney

Dear Daisy,

I hope you’re warm and happy. I miss you so much, but I know I made the right choice. You deserve a home, food, and people who love you the way I do. I think about you every day but knowing you’re safe helps me keep going.

I’m sorry I couldn’t be the person you needed. Thank you for being my friend when I had no one. I’ll never forget you.

Love,

Your old pal.

I didn’t realize I was crying until Liam’s voice broke through my thoughts.

A boy looking at his mother | Source: Midjourney

A boy looking at his mother | Source: Midjourney

“Mom? What’s wrong?” he asked, his small face full of concern.

I showed him the letter, and his expression turned serious as he read it. When he looked back at me, his jaw was set in determination.

“Mom, we have to find him,” he said. “He shouldn’t be alone.”

This is what I meant when I said my son inherited his father’s kind heart. Jason was the same. He could never let anyone suffer.

“You’re right,” I told my son. “We’ll find him.”

A woman talking to her son | Source: Midjourney

A woman talking to her son | Source: Midjourney

The next morning, we packed a bag with food, a thick blanket, and some warm clothes. Liam insisted we bring Daisy along.

“She’ll help us find him,” he said confidently, scratching behind her ears. “She misses him too.”

We started at the parking lot where we’d first met him, but there was no sign of the man. The icy wind bit at our faces as we searched, asking people nearby if they’d seen him.

Most shook their heads, but a kind woman at a nearby coffee shop told us she’d seen someone matching his description at a soup kitchen downtown.

A woman in a coffee shop | Source: Pexels

A woman in a coffee shop | Source: Pexels

Liam’s face lit up.

“Let’s go, Mom!” he said, tugging at my sleeve.

We immediately drove to the soup kitchen.

As we pulled up, Daisy suddenly perked up in the backseat, her tail thumping against the seat.

“I think she smells him!” Liam exclaimed.

Sure enough, there he was, sitting outside the soup kitchen, huddled under a tattered blanket.

He looked thinner, his cheeks hollow, but there was no mistaking him.

Before I could say a word, Daisy bolted from the car, her leash slipping from Liam’s hands.

A dog running away | Source: Midjourney

A dog running away | Source: Midjourney

“Daisy!” Liam shouted, but she was already halfway to him, her little body shaking with excitement.

The man looked up just in time to catch her as she leaped into his arms.

“Daisy girl,” he whispered.

He buried his face in her fur, holding her as though she were the most precious thing in the world. Tears streamed down his face, and I felt my own eyes well up.

A man hugging his dog | Source: Midjourney

A man hugging his dog | Source: Midjourney

I walked over, Liam close behind me.

“Hi,” I said softly. “I’m Emma. We’ve been taking care of Daisy.”

He looked up, his eyes full of gratitude.

“Thank you,” he said. “I missed her so much, but I knew I couldn’t give her what she needed. Seeing her like this… it means everything to me. I don’t know when I’ll be able to see her again.”

“You don’t have to say goodbye forever,” Liam told the man. “We can bring her to see you. Right, Mom?”

I nodded, smiling through my tears. “Of course. We’d love to.”

A woman smiling | Source: Midjourney

A woman smiling | Source: Midjourney

From that day on, we visited him every two weeks.

We’d bring Daisy, along with food and supplies. The man never asked for anything except some time with Daisy. He wanted to hold her, play with her, and feel a sense of connection again.

Slowly, we got to know him better.

His name was Edward, and he had been through more hardship than I could imagine, yet his love for Daisy had never wavered.

A homeless man smiling | Source: Midjourney

A homeless man smiling | Source: Midjourney

Months later, another letter arrived. But this one had an address.

Dear Emma,

Your kindness gave me hope when I had none. I’m writing to tell you that I’ve started over. I found a job, and I’m staying in a small condo now. I’ll never forget what you and Liam did for me. Thank you for believing in me.

Your friend,

Edward.

Soon, Edward became part of our family.

A man standing outdoors, smiling | Source: Midjourney

A man standing outdoors, smiling | Source: Midjourney

I’m grateful that fate sent Daisy our way because it taught Liam the power of kindness. It also proved that even the smallest acts of love can change lives.

Sometimes, I think about how close I was to saying no that day. And how saying yes changed everything.

So, before you say no to kindness, pause and think.

The world thrives on kindness, and it needs those who step up without hesitation. Those who open their hearts even when it’s hard.

It needs people like you to make it brighter, warmer, and better for everyone.

A child making a heart side with his hands | Source: Pexels

A child making a heart side with his hands | Source: Pexels

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