Dan Haggerty, who gained widespread recognition for his portrayal of the kind mountain man with a striking beard and his bear friend Ben in the NBC television series and 1974 film “The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams,” passed away on Friday in Burbank, California. His age was 73 years.
Terry Bomar, his manager and friend, stated that spinal cancer was the cause of death.
Dan Haggerty was creating a name for himself in Hollywood as an animal handler and stuntman before landing his famous part. When a producer requested him to appear in a few opening moments for a film about a woodsman and his bear, it was his big break. The plot, which is based on a novel by Charles Sellier Jr., centers on a man who flees to the woods after being wrongfully convicted of murder, becomes friends with the local wildlife, and takes in an abandoned bear.
Haggerty accepted to do the part, but he had one requirement: he had to appear in the whole film. Despite having a relatively low budget of $165,000, the film’s remake brought in close to $30 million at the box office. Because of this popularity, a television series was created, and in February 1977, Haggerty went back to playing the character of the wild and outdoorsy wilderness guardian.
The audience responded well to the show. It lukewarms the heart, as The New York Times’ John Leonard observed in his review. A large lump in the throat and a lot of communing with nature are experienced when a man and a bear hide out in a log cabin. Haggerty won a 1978 People’s Choice Award for being the most well-liked actor in a new series because of the series’ warm and sympathetic tone, which won over a lot of viewers.
The series also yielded two follow-ups: “Legend of the Wild,” which was broadcast on television in 1978 and eventually released in theaters in 1981, and “The Capture of Grizzly Adams,” a 1982 television film in which Adams ultimately exonerates himself of the false charge.
Born in Los Angeles on November 19, 1942, Daniel Francis Haggerty had a difficult upbringing. He had a turbulent childhood, breaking out of military school several times before coming home with his actor-father in Burbank when his parents divorced when he was three years old.
Haggerty was married twice in his personal life. When he was 17, he got married to Diane Rooker, but they later got divorced. In 2008, he lost his second wife, Samantha Hilton, in a horrific motorbike accident. His children, Don, Megan, Tracy, Dylan, and Cody, survive him.
In his debut motion picture, “Muscle Beach Party” (1964), Haggerty portrayed bodybuilder Biff. After that, he played supporting parts in motorcycle and wildlife movies. He was a hippie commune member in “Easy Rider.” He also played the role off-screen, living with a variety of wild creatures he had either tamed or rescued on a small ranch in Malibu Canyon.
His expertise with animals led to positions as an animal trainer and stuntman for television shows including “Daktari” and “Tarzan.” He kept taking on parts like “Where the North Wind Blows” (1974) and “The Adventures of Frontier Fremont” (1976) that highlighted his affinity for the natural world. His love of outdoor parts brought him roles evoking Grizzly Adams to movies like “Grizzly Mountain” (1997) and “Escape to Grizzly Mountain” (2000).
Haggerty had appearances in a number of horror movies later in his career, such as “Terror Night” (1987) and “Elves” (1989). He was involved in court in 1985 and was given a 90-day jail sentence for distributing cocaine to police officers who were undercover.
Tragic incidents also occurred in his life. Haggerty suffered third-degree burns to his arms when a diner carrying a burning drink unintentionally caught his renowned beard on fire in 1977 when he was dining. Despite being admitted to the hospital and supposed to stay for a month, he left after just ten days, claiming to have expertise of curing animals.
“The first couple of days I just lay in the dark room drinking water, like a wounded wolf trying to heal myself,” he said, reflecting on his injury, to People magazine.
3 Stories of Parents’ First Encounters with Their Children’s Partners That Took Unexpected Turns
Meeting your child’s significant other can be nerve-wracking, but for these parents, the first encounters took unexpected and shocking turns. From hidden secrets to surprising revelations, these stories prove that family ties are sometimes tested in the most unbelievable ways.
Every parent hopes their child finds happiness, but what happens when meeting their partner brings more questions than answers? Scroll down to read three stories where things took an unexpected turn the day these parents met their children’s significant others.
A woman smiling | Source: Midjourney
1. My Only Daughter Terrified Me When She Revealed the Rare Habit Her Boyfriend Had
After our Sunday dinner, my daughter Susan brought the last dishes to the sink. She had this look on her face that signaled something important was coming.
“Mom,” she began, “you know I’ve been seeing someone new, right?”
“Yes!” I replied. “What about him?”
Susan rarely shared much about her relationships. At 24, she kept her love life close to her chest, so I was always ready to listen when she did open up.
A smiling young woman | Source: Pexels
“His name’s Jack,” she said. “He’s quirky, and maybe it’s because of the age difference, but he has this strange habit.”
“Oh?” I asked, curious.
“He only eats the top of the muffin! Says it’s the best part,” she giggled.
My hands froze, the plate slipping from my grasp and shattering on the floor. That habit was too familiar.
“Mom! Are you okay?” Susan rushed to clean up the broken pieces.
A broken plate on the floor | Source: Pexels
“I’m fine, sweetheart,” I said, though my mind was spinning.
The memory of my Jack and his habit of eating just the muffin tops flooded back. Could it really be the same person?
Later that night, I lay in bed, thinking about him.
Jack was the man who had once been the center of my world. We parted ways years ago when life pulled us in different directions. He went abroad to study, while I stayed behind to care for my father.
Eventually, I married Phil and had Susan. However, my marriage with Phil ended in divorce a few years later.
A woman taking her ring off | Source: Pexels
At that point, Jack was still in my heart.
Could Susan’s Jack be the same Jack? I thought, but I was too afraid to ask my daughter.
Months passed, and every time Susan mentioned Jack, the unease grew. I avoided meeting him because I was too terrified to confront the possibility.
Then came the day Susan called me.
“Mom, Jack proposed!” she exclaimed. “We’re getting married!”
A few minutes later, she sent a photo of her ring, and it was beautiful. But Jack wasn’t in sight.
A woman using her phone | Source: Midjourney
As Susan prepared for the wedding, she often asked if she could come to my place with Jack. I came up with a new excuse every time, trying my best to avoid meeting him.
However, as the wedding day approached, I couldn’t avoid meeting him any longer.
I prepared myself for the worst at my daughter’s wedding.
As I stepped inside the venue, my gaze landed on the groom.
A groom | Source: Midjourney
“Thank God,” I whispered to myself.
The man standing next to my daughter wasn’t my Jack. Feeling relaxed, I began talking to the guests.
A few minutes later, I heard a voice behind me.
“Elizabeth?”
I turned, and there he was. My Jack, standing with his son, Susan’s fiancé.
The world seemed to stop as we locked eyes. He looked as stunned as I felt.
A man at his son’s wedding | Source: Midjourney
“Susan’s your daughter? I had no idea!” Jack exclaimed.
We spoke briefly during the reception, catching up on the years that had passed. He had lived a life parallel to mine.
He got married, parted ways with his wife, and now had children who meant everything to him.
I felt so happy watching Susan walk down the aisle that day. This was her moment, her future, and the love in her eyes told me everything I needed to know.
Later, as Jack handed me a glass of champagne, he said softly, “I came back for you, but you were gone.”
“I had to leave after my father passed,” I whispered.
A woman talking to a man | Source: Midjourney
“I’m sorry,” he said, and I knew he meant it.
While dancing with Susan that night, I realized this wasn’t just her new beginning. It was a moment of healing for me too.
Jack and I had come full circle, but this time, it wasn’t about us. It was about my daughter’s happiness and that was all that mattered.
A bride and groom holding hands | Source: Pexels
2. Woman Humiliated Me at a Restaurant, but the Next Day, She Appeared at My Door as My DIL
I’ve always lived simply, saving everything for my son, John. I raised him alone, and now he is a hardworking business owner.
One day, I decided to visit his new restaurant to surprise him. I wore my usual modest clothes and took a bus.
Upon reaching there, I walked in and found a quiet table by the window. The waiter greeted me, and I asked him to bring me a cup of tea.
A waiter in a restaurant | Source: Midjourney
As I waited, a young woman dressed in designer clothes approached me with a smug expression.
“Excuse me,” she said condescendingly, “This table is reserved for my boyfriend and me. You’ll have to move.”
I was startled. “Oh, I didn’t realize. There wasn’t a reservation sign.”
“Doesn’t matter. This table is for someone dressed more… appropriately. You wouldn’t want to embarrass yourself.”
A woman in a restaurant | Source: Midjourney
Her words made me angry, but I didn’t want to cause a scene. I quietly gathered my things and left without even meeting John.
I felt extremely humiliated but didn’t tell my son about it because I thought that would spoil our meeting the next day.
Little did I know that things would only get worse.
A woman going home | Source: Midjourney
The following day, I was preparing lunch at home, eager to meet John’s girlfriend. I was so excited when the doorbell rang, but it immediately faded away when I opened the door.
The same woman who had humiliated me at the restaurant was now standing on my doorstep. She was John’s girlfriend.
Her eyebrows furrowed as she recognized me, but then she just smiled. She pretended like she was meeting me for the first time.
“Mom, meet Sarah,” John said.
A close-up shot of a man smiling | Source: Midjourney
“Hi, Sarah,” I said, forcing a smile. “Please come in.”
As we sat down to eat, John began talking about their plans. Then, he dropped a bombshell.
“Mom, Sarah has a great idea. She wants to buy a café, and we were hoping you could lend us some money to help get it started.”
“A café?” I asked, looking at her with wide eyes. “That’s a lot of money, John.”
Before John could respond, Sarah stood abruptly and excused herself to use the restroom.
A woman looking straight ahead | Source: Midjourney
I immediately turned to John once she left. “Are you sure about this? I don’t trust her, John. She treated me poorly yesterday at your restaurant.”
“What are you talking about?” John asked, confused.
Then, I told him everything that happened yesterday.
“Why didn’t you tell me before?”
Before I could say more, Sarah returned and sensed the tension.
“What’s going on?” she asked sweetly.
“Mom says she won’t give us the money,” John replied, clearly upset.
Sarah’s eyes narrowed. “Why not?”
A close-up shot of a woman’s face | Source: Midjourney
“I don’t trust you, Sarah,” I said. “You treated me terribly yesterday at the restaurant.”
She feigned innocence at first, but when that didn’t work, her tone changed.
“If your mom doesn’t accept me, our relationship is over,” she spat, turning around to leave.
I thought my son would stay back, but he didn’t. He stood up, held her hand, and left me alone.
At that point, I knew Sarah wasn’t the right woman for John. I felt helpless because I couldn’t do anything to make him realize that.
An older woman crying | Source: Pexels
A month later, I received an invitation to the café’s opening. John told me he had arranged the money for Sarah through a few friends.
“I’ll be there, sweetheart,” I told John as a plan brewed in my mind. “I’ll definitely be there.”
On the day of the opening, I wore my best dress and took a bus to the café.
“Mom! How are you?” John greeted me at the entrance. “Come in, the celebrations are about to begin.”
I smiled and made my way inside.
A few minutes later, I asked Sarah to step out with me for a short conversation. Before leaving, I discreetly nodded to the bartender, signaling to set my plan into motion.
A bartender | Source: Pexels
“So, Sarah, I’m curious about your plans for the café. How do you see its future?” I asked casually.
Sarah smiled, confident in her victory. “Oh, it’s going to be a great success. I’ve got big plans.”
“Really? And what about the money John arranged for you? How are you planning to use it?”
I quietly watched as she rolled her eyes.
A young woman looking straight ahead | Source: Midjourney
“Oh, that? It’ll help with the expansion and a few personal investments,” she said before looking around to ensure we were alone. “You see, I need John only for the financial benefits. Love is nice, but security is better.”
I couldn’t believe my ears.
“Your son loves me so much. He’s never gonna realize he’s being manipulated. And we all saw how he refused to believe you the other day,” she chuckled.
After a few more minutes of her revealing her true intentions, I decided it was time to return inside.
A woman in a restaurant | Source: Midjourney
Everyone was silent when we stepped inside.
“What’s up, babe?” Sarah asked, but John just looked at her with wide eyes.
“Mom was right about you,” he said. “I heard everything you said outside.”
Sarah had no idea I had connected my phone to the Bluetooth speaker in the café, and everyone had heard our conversation. Everyone in the room knew Sarah didn’t love John.
An upset man | Source: Midjourney
“John, it’s not what you think!” she pleaded, but it was too late.
John, humiliated and heartbroken, ended their relationship. He later apologized to me over a quiet dinner.
3. I Met My Fiancé’s Parents, Only to Find Another Woman Posing as Me at Dinner
I’ll never forget the first time Mark and I met. It wasn’t love at first sight or any kind of sight, actually. We worked at the same company for three years without ever crossing paths. But one day, Mark emailed me about a sales issue, and that’s how it all began.
He called me to discuss the email, and soon our work-related conversations turned into something else. I found myself looking forward to his calls.
Eventually, he asked me out on a date.
A man texting on his phone | Source: Pexels
“Are you sure, Mark? I might not be what you expect,” I told him.
After all, I wasn’t the slim, polished woman someone like Mark might typically go for.
“Anna,” he said, “I love tea, and you’re my cup of tea.”
I laughed and agreed to the date.
When we finally met in person, I could see the surprise in Mark’s eyes. I wasn’t blind. I knew I was plus-size, and that wasn’t always what people expected.
But by the end of that lunch, we had hit it off. I thought we were perfect together.
A couple holding hands on a date | Source: Pexels
Six months later, Mark proposed. It was a dream come true, but something always felt off.
He kept me away from his friends and family, and I could tell he was embarrassed about my size.
Still, I thought love could overcome anything. I didn’t know how wrong I was.
One day, Mark’s parents were hosting their 40th wedding anniversary. He told me we’d drive up to Connecticut and spend the weekend with them.
I was excited to finally meet his family.
A woman standing in her house | Source: Midjourney
But then, just two days before the event, Mark called with some bad news.
“I’m flying to Colorado for a work emergency,” he said. “I’ll meet you in Connecticut on Saturday, but you can’t come with me.”
I was disappointed, but I wanted to surprise him. So, I decided to deliver the anniversary gift to his parents myself. Wrong decision.
I knocked on the door, and an older woman answered a few minutes later.
“Yes?” she asked with a smile.
A woman standing in her house | Source: Midjourney
“Hi, I’m Anna, Mark’s fiancée,” I introduced myself. “This is an anniversary gift for his parents.”
Her smile vanished.
“Is this a joke?” she asked, stunned. “Mark’s fiancée is inside having dinner with us right now.”
Confused and horrified, I pushed past her and into the dining room. There, sitting next to Mark, was a beautiful, slim woman clinging to his arm.
“Mark! What’s going on?” I demanded.
I still remember the look on his face.
A man in his house | Source: Midjourney
“Anna, this isn’t what you think. She’s an actress. I—”
“I don’t understand,” I cut him off. “If you didn’t love me, why did you propose?”
“I do love you!” he insisted. “I just… I was afraid. You know, you’re so… big.”
His words broke my heart. I immediately took off my engagement ring and placed it on the table.
“If you loved me, you wouldn’t be ashamed of me,” I said quietly and walked out.
Mark tried calling me for days, but I didn’t pick up. I couldn’t. I was heartbroken. How could someone who claimed to love me be so ashamed of who I was?
A man using his phone | Source: Pexels
A few days later, I arrived at work and saw a crowd gathered outside the building. Everyone was pointing at a huge billboard across the street. I gasped when I saw it.
There was a picture of Mark and me with the words, “I LOVE ANNA AND I WANT TO MARRY HER!”
Before I could process it, Mark appeared, dropping to one knee.
“Anna, I’m an idiot,” he said. “But I love you. Please marry me.”
I stood there for a moment as tears streamed down my cheeks.
A woman standing outdoors | Source: Midjourney
“You ARE an idiot,” I finally said. “But I still love you.”
Now, we’re planning our winter wedding in Connecticut. I never thought I’d forgive him, but love, it turns out, is bigger than any fear.
If you enjoyed reading this compilation, here’s another one you might like: Instant karma doesn’t wait for the guilty to escape unscathed. These three stories show how people who thought they could get away with wrongdoing were served poetic justice on the spot.
This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.
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