When Melissa Gilbert was born on May 8, 1964, in the now-closed French Hospital in Los Angeles, her birth parents decided to put her up for adoption. They prioritized their careers over raising a child. Melissa was adopted by Barbara Crane and Paul Gilbert when she was just 24 hours old.
Barbara and Paul also adopted Jonathan, Melissa’s younger brother. Barbara was an actress, and Paul was a comedian, actor, and dancer. Although they divorced when Melissa was six, she fondly remembered her father, Paul, as a loving and fair person.
Paul passed away in 1976, and many believed he died from a stroke. However, Melissa later discovered that he had actually committed suicide. This revelation came as a shock, as her adoptive parents had kept many secrets about her past.
Melissa’s adoptive parents told her that her birth father, David Darlington, was a Rhodes Scholar, and her birth mother, Kathy Wood, was a prima ballerina. However, when Melissa grew older, she found out that her biological mother was a dancer, and her father was a stock car racer and sign painter. Kathy and David, who each had children from previous relationships, couldn’t afford to raise another child and decided to put Melissa up for adoption.
After her adoptive father passed away, Melissa learned more about her adoption. Her godmother, Mitzi, revealed that the Gilberts weren’t initially planning to adopt. When they got a call about a baby being available, they hesitated but eventually decided to take her in. Melissa was shocked to learn this, but Barbara explained that they had been trying to conceive and hadn’t planned on adopting until they received that call.
The secrets didn’t end there. At age 11, Melissa was told that her father had died from a stroke. It wasn’t until she was 45 that she learned the truth about his suicide. She hired a detective who uncovered that Paul had been in severe pain and had threatened to take his own life while under VA care. This discovery was painful for Melissa, but she eventually came to terms with it and now supports mental health awareness and suicide prevention.
Despite the secrets and the pain, Melissa forgave her adoptive mother, Barbara, for hiding the truth. Today, Melissa is best known for her role as Laura “Half-Pint” Ingalls Wilder on “Little House on the Prairie.” She published her memoir, “Back to the Prairie,” in July 2022 and enjoys spending time with her family.
Melissa married her third husband, Timothy Busfield, in an intimate ceremony in April 2013. They are grandparents to eight grandchildren and live peacefully in a 14-acre cottage in the Catskill Mountains of New York.
This story highlights Melissa Gilbert’s journey from a surprising adoption to becoming a beloved actress and a devoted advocate for mental health.