Melissa Gilbert Got Emotional Holding Dad’s Photo – She Hired a Detective to Find Out His Real Cause of Death

• Gilbert was 11 years old when her father died in February 1976, but she did not learn the true nature of his death until many years later.

• She and her adopted brother Jonathan Gilbert were told that their father had died in his sleep from a stroke he had suffered a year earlier.

• She hired a detective to find out the truth about her father.

“Little House on the Prairie” star Melissa Gilbert was one of the fan’s favorites from the show. Although the actress has gushed over how much she loved being on the show, she also had to deal with a significant loss during her time there.

Gilbert was adopted by Paul Gilbert and his wife Barbra Crane after her birth in 1964. Her parents were both familiar with the entertainment industry.

Melissa Gilbert in New York in 2007. | Source: Getty Images

Paul used to star in the 1954 NBC comedy series, “The Duke.” Crane’s father was an actor and was part of the show “Honeymooners” in 1955.

Therefore, Gilbert has been in front of the camera since he was a toddler. She was a part of commercials before she bagged a role in “Gunsmoke and Emergency” in 1972.

Her breakthrough role on “Little House on the Prarie” came in 1974, when she also acted alongside her adopted brother Johnathan Gilbert, not to forget one the most significant contributors to television, Michael Landon.

Melissa Gilbert on “Little House on the Prairie” circa 1974. | Source: Getty Images

“Little House on the Prarie” ran for nine years; by the time it ended, Gilbert was 19. Unlike many child actors, Gilbert was able to transition smoothly into adult roles and kept her acting career alive.

She acted in the films “Family Secrets” and “Choices.” Gilbert was also the voice of Batgirl in the animated Fox series “Batman.”

Gilbert has been honest about how much she loved being on “Little’s House on the Prairie” and appreciated its contribution to her career, but the actress said she would not be a part of the show if it were rebooted.

Melissa Gilbert on “Little House on the Prairie” in 1975. | Source: Getty Images

She reasoned that the show still has episodes playing, and people are enjoying it just as it was; thus, Gilbert sees no reason why it needs to be remade. Nonetheless, Gilbert was inspired by her character, Laura Ingalls, and said she hoped to be as courageous as her.

Additionally, the actress enjoyed the farm life and being around the horses and chickens so much that she wanted the same life for herself.

Melissa Gilbert in New York 2007. | Source: Getty Images

The actress confessed to People that being in the entertainment industry from a young age affected her self-esteem. Gilbert said she found herself chasing her youth and not accepting her adult phase. But after much self-introspection, the actress persevered.

Melissa Gilbert Speaks about Losing Her Father at Eleven Years Old

Gilbert’s parents separated when she was six years old. She and her brother Johnathan only have good memories of Paul. “My father was the most incredibly talented, vivacious, funny, loving, fair person I ever knew,” said Gilbert.

Sadly, when Gilbert was only eleven, she lost her father, which left a big void in her life. She was told that her father suffered a stroke in his sleep and died, but the actress felt there was more to her father’s sudden death.

How Melissa Gilbert Found Out about the Real Reason Behind Her Father’s Death

Gilbert was haunted by the questions surrounding her father’s passing, so she decided to take matters into her own hands and hired a private investigator.

Paul was a World War II Veteran, so Gilbert found out he had been under the care of the Veteran Hospital Association (VA). According to the actress, her father was in excruciating pain and threatened to commit suicide, eventually taking his life.

A lot of questions flooded Gilbert’s head. She wondered why she was not enough for her father to fight for his health, but she confessed that she has learned to accept his choice and will continue cherishing the happy memories she has of him.

Gilbert also confronted her mother and admitted that she felt betrayed by her. But after many conversations, she realized suicide was stigmatized as a weakness at the time.

So, most people bottled it up instead of being honest about it because it was considered shameful. Therefore, Gilbert had to learn to forgive her mother, too.

Although Gilbert was crushed to hear about her father’s death, she saw it as a reason to help others. The actress started speaking up, raising awareness about mental health issues, and advocating suicide prevention.

Gilbert Expressed Appreciation for Fathers

Gilbert is also a mother and values the role of a father figure in her children’s life. The actress had her first child, Dakota, with her first husband, Bo Brinkman.

Brinkman and the “Family Secrets” star were married from 1988-1994. She went on to marry her second husband, Bruce Boxleitner, in 1995 and had a son Michael Boxleitner.

However, her second marriage also came to an end in 2011. Then she married Timothy Busfield in 2013, and they have been inseparable.

Now the actress is a grandmother and has strayed away from Hollywood. Gilbert is living her best life on the “Prairie.” The couple now lives in a cabin in upstate New York, and the actress has found a new passion for farming.

Gilbert values the role of a father figure in anyone’s life. On father’s day, the actress shared a sweet message for fathers. She wrote that having a father figure has taught her “true compassion, empathy, strength, talent and social consciousness.”

She encouraged fathers to continue upholding this standard and made them realize their significance to their children’s lives.

If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), text “help” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741, or go to suicidepreventionlifeline.org.