A millionaire is stunned when he finds out that his only daughter is living an impoverished life with her twin babies in an old trailer, and he rushes to her aid, unaware his life will never be the same after that day.
As Ben Doyle sliced the steak on his plate and took the first bite of the tender meat, a clinking sound broke the pin-drop silence in his gigantic mansion. He picked up the TV remote and tuned in to the state news channel, as he always did.
Every evening, Ben ate dinner alone while he watched the news because he didn’t have a family. His ex-wife, Cindy, had left him years ago and taken their only daughter, Leah, with her because he was a nobody back then.
At the time, Ben was working odd jobs and trying to start his own business, but all of his endeavors were failing. Cindy wanted a good life and was done with him and his struggles, so she divorced him and married a rich man.
Ben’s finances were not stable, and he couldn’t win Leah’s custody, but he loved her and sent her gifts on her birthday every year.
Years later, when Cindy’s husband received a work transfer and the couple relocated to a different state, Ben lost touch with Leah. He tried calling Cindy to find out where she was, but Cindy didn’t return his calls or texts and even forbade Leah to have any sort of communication with him whatsoever.
All alone and with nobody to love him, Ben’s only focus became his work. He worked day and night until he became a millionaire. But though he had money, fame, and a comfortable lifestyle, Ben didn’t see the point in all of it when he didn’t have people to love him.
He arrived home every evening and there was no one to welcome him. He ate dinner alone while watching TV, then went to bed, woke up the next morning, and returned to work. This was not how he had imagined his life to be…
That day, while Ben was watching TV, the news channel was running a report on women empowerment. The reporter had interviewed women from different strata, including the underprivileged, and Ben was not interested in watching any of it.
“Is that all they got to show us now? Don’t they have something better to report?” he grumbled as he picked up the remote to change the channel. But then he stopped.
He stopped because he couldn’t believe his eyes and the fact that the reporter’s next interviewee was his daughter.
“Good Lord? Leah?” Ben’s eyes teared as he watched the report, which mentioned his daughter was living in an old trailer with her twin babies.
Family is the biggest strength.
70s’ heartthrob Christopher Atkins disappeared from the spotlight – see him now at 63
The actor who once stole hearts in The Blue Lagoon has resurfaced, looking very different from his teenage days – with silver hair and lines etched into his face, his transformation reflects a life fully
lived.
Away from Hollywood’s limelight, he faced struggles that nearly broke him, but today, he’s embraced a quieter life.
Let’s look at the twists and turns of his journey, from battling alcoholism to bankruptcy, and where he stands now…
Christopher Atkins, the former Blue Lagoon star, skyrocketed to fame over four decades ago, largely due to his role in the iconic 1980 film. Although acting was not his initial dream, fate had other plans.
Born in New York, Atkins grew up aspiring to become a professional baseball player, but a knee injury ended his athletic ambitions. Instead of heading to the baseball field, he found himself teaching sailing and trying his hand at modeling. A fateful audition led to his breakthrough as Richard in The Blue Lagoon, a role that would change his life forever.
Atkins was chosen from among 4,000 hopefuls for the part, a testament to his undeniable on-screen charisma, Now to Love detailed. The film, co-starring Brooke Shields, told the story of two teenagers stranded on a tropical island and quickly became a box-office sensation.
One of the first mainstream movies to feature male nudity, it was an intimidating experience for the young actor, but his performance captured audiences worldwide.
Following his success in The Blue Lagoon, Atkins went on to star in The Pirate Movie, where he met Australian model Lyn Barron.
Reminiscing on their whirlwind romance, he shared: “It was love at first sight, and six months later we were married. We went on to have two kids, Grant and Brittany.” However, the glamorous Hollywood life came with a darker side.
As Atkins’ career progressed, the pressures of fame began to weigh heavily. Constant travel, extravagant parties, and high expectations led him down a dangerous path of alcoholism.
Although the family had settled in Los Angeles, their seemingly perfect life unraveled when Atkins discovered that his former manager had embezzled nearly half a million dollars from him. The financial betrayal left the star nearly bankrupt, leading to an alcohol-fueled breakdown in 1986. Reflecting on that challenging period, he admitted to Lifestyle Magazine: “There is nothing worse than having your whole life pulled out from under you.
His turning point came after a heated argument with his wife, which prompted his parents to step in. Atkins entered rehab for 28 days to confront his addiction. After completing treatment, he emerged with a new perspective on life. “I came out of there realizing that I wanted to be a dad more than I wanted to be a drunk,” he said. Despite his efforts, his marriage couldn’t survive the strain of his struggles. “Sadly, the marriage didn’t last, but we remain genuinely great friends,” he added.
Atkins has now been sober for over 30 years, a milestone he takes pride in. He made a conscious effort to be a devoted father, focusing on his children, Grant and Brittany. Grant pursued baseball, chasing the dream his father once had, while Brittany ventured into acting, appearing in British children’s films, including one written by her father.
While Atkins continued to work in film and television, he longed for another major box office hit like The Blue Lagoon. “I consider myself an actor, that’s what I’ve done for 43 years… I still, to this day, dream of being in an ‘A’ movie again,” he revealed.
Outside of his career, Atkins remains hopeful about love. Having been married for 20 years and experienced other relationships, he still seeks a partner who shares his zest for life. “I want a woman, obviously no drama, I’m too old for that. A woman who loves to laugh, can be spontaneous…has to be open,” he shared, per Page Six.
Now a grandfather to three boys, Atkins finds immense joy in his role. “I take them snake hunting, we go camping, fishing, play ball, wrestle all the time, we have a blast. They’re so much fun,” he said.
Christopher Atkins’ transformation is a true testament to his resilience – what an inspiration to us all!
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