Melissa Gilbert Says She Downplayed Her Achievements To Preserve Past Relationships

Melissa Gilbert has found blissful love with Timothy Busfield after two previous marriages that required her to shrink herself. The couple tied the knot—each for the third time—in 2013, and it has been their best relationship ever since.

Melissa gave details about her life with Timothy in her new memoir, Back to the Prairie, noting that she has never enjoyed so much support as she does now. With Timothy, Melissa feels encouraged to be herself without fear of judgment or being too much.

Life before Timothy

Melissa felt the need to downplay her accomplishments in order to make her previous husbands—Bo Brinkman and Bruce Boxleitner—feel in control. Although Melissa shares no children with Timothy, she has two adult sons, Dakota and Michael, from her exes.

RELATED: ‘Little House On The Prairie’ Actress Melissa Gilbert Reunites With On-Screen Husband After 42 Years

The 60-year-old wrote in her previous book, Prairie Tale, that Bo was a cheat and would often blame her for his failures. He also spent her money and was addicted to alcohol. After their divorce in 1994, Bo was reportedly furious to learn that she was dating Bruce, who she would later marry in 1995.

Melissa feels secure with Timothy

Melissa and Bruce were married for 16 years, and it was not until Melissa got diagnosed with a herniated disc in her lower back that she realized how uncaring Bruce was. She started to notice how much he prioritized himself at her expense and subsequently called off the marriage in 2011. Despite this, unlike Melissa’s split from Bo, divorcing Bruce actually came with less drama as they remained friends after.

She met Timothy at a bar months later and her smile was all he needed to approach her. The duo have been together ever since, sharing milestones such as their move to New York, buying a house in the Catskills, starting their 2020 podcast Gilbert & Busfield, welcoming their first grandchild Ripley, and adopting an adorable rescue dog together.