Melissa Gilbert, 59, Shares Rare Pic of Spouse after Fleeing Spotlight for Life in Rustic Cabin with

  • Melissa Gilbert struggled during her early years in Hollywood.
  • When she finally found love, she moved to a rustic cabin with her husband.
  • Gilbert recently shared a sweet photo of the love of her life and their grandchild.

Melissa Gilbert became famous playing Laura Ingalls in "Little House on the Prairie." The show ran for nine seasons, during which Gilbert reached the height of fame. However, it was not always an enjoyable experience.

In fact, Gilbert suffered a few hardships during her stardom but found a way to find love and build a life that she was content with. Now, she and her husband share a beautiful life despite the struggles she faced.

Melissa Gilbert and her first husband, Bo Brinkman at the 22nd Annual Nostros Awards | Source: Getty Images

During her nine-year run on "Little House on the Prairie," her character was the picture of innocence. Yet her life outside the spotlight was far more sinister than her character's.

Gilbert released a tell-all memoir where she admitted she had three nose jobs before she turned 20, had many relationships with Hollywood rockstars and playboys, and even struggled with drug and alcohol abuse. She was also briefly married to Bo Brinkman.

Melissa Gilbert and her second husband, Bruce Boxleitner, at the 56th Annual Directors Guild of America Awards | Source: Getty Images

Melissa Gilbert and her sons Michael and stepson Sam at her signing of "Prairie Tale: A Memoir" | Source: Getty Images

Gilbert then married fellow actor Bruce Boxleitner, and together they welcomed a son. However, their relationship ended in 2011, with Gilbert filing for divorce and citing "irreconcilable differences" as the reason.

How Did Gilbert Find True Love and End Up Living in a Cabin?

After her divorce from Boxleitner, Gilbert spent some time single before she met the man with whom she would find love. Her new love, Timothy Busfield, had just come out of his second divorce when the couple met.

Melissa Gilbert and Timoth Busfield at the "The Butcher Boy" opening night in 2022 | Source: Getty Images

Busfield had been going to the bar across from Universal Studios, where he had one drink almost every night, but on this night, everything changed for him. When he walked in, he saw Gilbert waiting to meet a friend.

After Busfield ordered a pizza, he looked across the bar and saw a woman with a fedora. While he was content not being in a relationship, he initiated a conversation with Gilbert. The pair wound up talking for the entire night, and Busfield shared:

"I knew she was the one. It felt so real."

Although Busfield immediately knew that Gilbert was the one, he was enjoying being single when they met. He revealed that he was content spooning his pillow each night and experiencing the life of a single man.

In fact, when he scanned the bar and saw Gilbert sitting there, he was checking to make sure that the bar wasn't busy. When he saw Gilbert, he thought it spelled trouble. However, it turned out to be quite the opposite.

The pair had a lot in common; they were both twice divorced, and each had their own children. It didn't take long for them to tie the knot. In a small ceremony in April 2013, the couple exchanged vows.

While they were both used to the fast-paced life of Hollywood, they decided they were ready to exchange it for something more relaxed. After nine years of marriage, they bought a cottage on land that spans 14 acres.

Their cottage is located in the New York Catskill Mountains, which has been a wish fulfilled for Gilbert. She admitted it was what she had always wanted from her life. The couple now shares a calm and peaceful life in the mountains.

Before they moved to New York, the couple swapped their Hollywood life for a quieter one in Busfield's hometown of Michigan. Talking about why they moved out of Hollywood, Gilbert said:

"It became important for us to have a place where we could escape."

Gilbert and Busfield finally moved into their New York home in January 2019 and nicknamed it "the cabbage." They named it this way because they believed it was a great amalgamation of the words "cabin" and "cottage."

Busfield and Gilbert feel their home has characteristics of a cabin and cottage, and they love it all the more because of that. They soon set out renovating and decorating their space together.

While money was difficult for the couple, and their budget was small, they made it work. They got to work doing some of their own renovations and DIY projects around their new home.

Speaking about how it was going being their own contractors for the smaller jobs around their "cabbage," Busfield mused:

"You see that [Gilbert] has overalls on. She'll have a hammer hanging out of one of those pockets in half an hour."

Gilbert became adept at upcycling many things, like the couple's couch. They loved the sofa but did not like the color, so Gilbert found some slipcovers online and added other fabrics with pillows to make it look brand new.

Gilbert and Busfield have been happily living in their Catskills home since January 2019, and Gilbert has often shared how happy she is to be living a peaceful life with the love of her life in a place she always dreamed of.

Gilbert Shows Rare Photo of Husband and Grandbaby

Now, Gilbert and her husband are enjoying their grandchildren and their lives together. Gilbert often shares photos of the couple's life on social media. Most recently, she celebrated her husband's birthday with a social media post.

In the celebratory post two days ago, Gilbert shared a photo of her smiling husband cradling their grandchild, whose head was resting on his shoulder. Gilbert wished her husband a happy birthday then went on to joke about their grandchild, saying:

"Owner of the best baby soothing shoulder in the world."

Melissa Gilbert and Timothy Busfield pose for a portrait at their home in Michigan in 2016 | Source: Getty Images

The actress shared many hashtags relating to her husband, her grandchild, and her husband's birthday. Fans flocked to the comments section to wish Busfield a happy birthday and talk about how sweet the photo was.

Some fans also brought up Busfield's past works in Hollywood, and many begged for a "ThirtySomething" reunion. Others said Gilbert's grandchild was so sweet laying on Busfield's shoulder.

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