After hearing the news that “Cheers” star Kirstie Alley had passed away at the age of 71 after a lengthy battle with cancer, the entire entertainment industry went into a state of shock. Her children, True Parker and Lillie Parker released a statement on social media confirming the news of their mother’s passing. In the statement, they mentioned that the late actress was surrounded by her loved ones at the time of her passing. Since then, a lot of her co-stars and admirers, including John Travolta, have shared heartfelt tributes on several social media platforms. The most recent person to join the bandwagon is none other than Parker Stevenson, who was Alley’s ex-husband.
On Stevenson’s official Instagram account, where he is known for his roles in “The Hardy Boys” and “Baywatch,” the actor posted a heartfelt tribute to his friend and co-star, as well as a throwback photo of the two of them in which they can be seen posing for the camera with broad grins on their faces. Along with the photographs, Stevenson included a note in which he stated that he is “grateful” for the time that he was able to spend with her during the period in which they were married to each other. Following the conclusion of his post, the actor stated that the actress will be “missed” in a profound way.
He wrote,
Dear Kirstie, I am so grateful for our years together and for the two incredibly beautiful children and now grandchildren that we have. You will be missed. With love, Parker.
People magazine claims that Steven and Alley first crossed paths in a bar, where the “Drop Dead Gorgeous” star did not immediately recognize Steven as being a member of the principal cast of “The Hardy Boys.” It is believed that they began dating sometime in the early 1980s after she had been married to Bob Alley from 1970 until 1977. After a brief courtship that culminated in their wedding on December 22, 1983, the couple had a brief romantic relationship.
Despite that, the couple’s marriage was tested by adversity on more than one occasion. In 1990, it was discovered that Alley had a miscarriage when she was only three months pregnant; at the time, this was a shocking development. The actress wrote in her book, titled “How to Lose Your Ass & Regain Your Life: Reluctant Confessions of a Big-Butted Star,” that after learning that she had a miscarriage, she was unable to stop crying and was under the impression that she was “still pregnant” due to her weight. She believed this to be the case because of how much weight she had gained. She wrote,
When the baby was gone, I just didn’t really get over it. Neither did my body. I so thoroughly convinced my body that it was still pregnant after nine months that I had milk coming from my breasts. I was still fat, I was still grieving, and I had just been told it was very possible I would never be able to have children.
Following the news of the pregnancy loss, the couple made the decision to adopt a son in October 1992 named William True, and three years later, in 1995, they adopted a daughter named Lillie. Unfortunately, in 1997, they divorced in a contentious manner, which brought an end to their marriage. Even after they had divorced, the couple continued to communicate with each other, and Alley maintained that there had been “no infidelity” during their marriage. Alley made these comments in a recent interview that was published in Entertainment Weekly:
There was no infidelity in my marriage, on either side. There was nothing other than maybe different goals in life.
The exes went on to become grandparents in 2016 when their son True had his first child, a son who was named Waylon Tripp Barker. On the other hand, in May of 2021, the couple became grandparents for the second time after Lillie gave birth to her first child, a son who was given the name Rip Woodrow Graham.
In addition to Stevenson, Alley’s best friend, and co-star in “Look Who’s Talking,” John Travolta, also posted a heartfelt tribute a few days ago. In it, he remarked that Alley was one of the most “special” people he knew and that he and Alley had a unique relationship. Additionally, he uploaded a couple of photos of Alley to his official Instagram account, where he shared them with his followers. He wrote,
Kirstie was one of the most special relationships I’ve ever had. I love you Kirstie. I know we will see each other again.
