Donna Mills became a mom at 54 & found new love at 60 – At 82 she’s still an iconic blonde & looks radiant

Actress Donna Mills is one of those women who are gifted with exceptional beauty. No matter how many years pass by, they still look as gorgeous as ever.Her looks, along with her talent, helped Mills become a household name. From the moment she landed a role on the CBS daytime soap opera The Secret Storm in 1966, it was obvious she was meant for great things. As all eyes were on her, her career skyrocketed with the iconic role of scheming, manipulative vixen Abby Cunningham on the long-running primetime soap opera Knots Landing and a major recurring guest-starring role in the popular soap opera General Hospital.

Wikipedia Commons / Alan Light
At the same time as her career blossomed, Mills was also trying to find love. Eventually, she started a relationship with guitarist Richard Holland, the ex-husband of singer Chaka Khan with whom he had a son, Damian. Many believed that Mills and Holland made a somewhat odd couple as their personalities were very different. She perceived herself as an active and motivated go-getter, while Holland rarely found motivation to do things. Those close to him always described him as laid back.The public even believed that he was with her for her money and the comfort she provided for him. Shortly after they started a relationship, Holland settled with Mills in her $1.5 million mansion where she prepared a room for his son who visited them and sometimes stayed with them over the weekends.
Jim Ellwanger / Flickr
The two stayed together and she always considered their relationship “turbulent.” During the 20 years they were going on and off, they never started a family or had a child on their own.Mills was way too busy building her career and never felt like something was missing in her life, until she reached 54 and decided she wanted to become a mother. Many criticized her decision, saying it was late for her to embark on such a journey as parenthood, but Mills was determined to have a child. In 1994, at the height of her acting career, Mills adopted daughter Chloe, who was just four days old.The role of a mother was so fitting to Mills that she made a shocking decision to put her career on hold and focus on raising her baby girl.Even today, 28 years after Chloe entered her life, their mother-daughter bond is as strong as ever.Chloe is a celebrity in her own right. She is an influencer and a model, as well as a member of the popular California-based arts, politics and media club Soho House. She’s dating musician Bailey Joshua.Just like her daughter, Mills found love herself. Although her relationship with Holland was an unstable one, the Knots Landing star never lost hope of falling in love again. For the last 20 years, she’s been together with another Hollywood star, actor and producer Larry Gilman, whom she describes as her soul mate.He is best known for his roles in the television series Texas Rangers between 1980 to 1981, the feature film Secrets, and the popular CBS war comedy-drama television series, M*A*S*H.In 2015, he surprised her with a vineyard.
Recently, Mills posed alongside two other stars of her kind, Linda Gray and Joan Collins. The three 80s lead women appeared radiant and glowing, leaving their fans in awe.It’s safe to say that the three actresses defy age.The trio had come together for a magazine shoot, as was evident from Mills’ caption, which read:“What a delight working with these lovely ladies. Thank you Hello Magazine @hellomag for a terrific story in your latest issue.”Mills was dressed in a sparkling pink outfit, while Collins stunned in a gorgeous black dress and Gray opted for a shimmery gray and silver attire.As expected, the post attracted the attention of many who dubbed the three ladies “icons,” “soap queens,” and “legends.”

“Dallas, Dynasty & Knots Landing in one frame. These Iconic ladies made those shows!” a fan wrote.

My Stepmom Made Me Sleep in a Shed and Gave My Room to Her Kids — My Mom Immediately Brought Her Back Down to Earth

When my father’s new wife kicked me out of my room and into the shed, I thought I’d hit rock bottom. But Mom’s surprise visit and shocking revelation about the house turned everything upside down, leaving me to wonder if I’d ever feel at home with Dad again.

I arrived at Dad’s house with a knot in my stomach. Something felt off. Kim, my stepmom, opened the door with a fake smile.

“Michelle, honey, come in,” she said, her voice sickeningly sweet.

I stepped inside, dragging my suitcase. Sam and Leo, my college-age step brothers, lounged on the couch, barely acknowledging me. They were both glued to their shiny new laptops – the same ones Dad said he couldn’t afford to buy for me.

“Where’s Dad?” I asked, trying to keep the bitterness out of my voice.

“Working late,” Kim replied. She fidgeted with her necklace. “Listen, Michelle, we need to talk about sleeping arrangements.”

My heart sank. “What about them?”

Kim glanced at her sons. “Well, with Sam and Leo home for the holidays, we’re a bit short on space.”

“Short on space?” I echoed. “But I have my room.”

“Had,” Sam muttered under his breath, not looking up from his laptop.

I whirled to face him. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Kim cleared her throat. “Michelle, dear, we had to give your room to the boys. They need a proper place to sleep and study.”

“And where am I supposed to sleep?” I demanded, my voice rising.

Kim avoided my eyes. “We’ve set up a nice space for you in the shed.”

“The shed?” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “You’re kidding, right?”

“It’s only temporary,” Kim said quickly. “Just until the boys go back to university.”

I looked around, hoping to see some sign that this was all a cruel joke. But Sam and Leo just smirked, and Kim stood there, lips pressed into a thin line.

“Where’s Dad?” I asked again, my voice cracking. “I want to talk to him.”

“He’ll be home late,” Kim repeated. “Why don’t you get settled in? I’m sure you’re tired from the trip.”

Defeated, I trudged out to the shed, lugging my suitcase behind me. The inside was musty and cramped, with a rickety cot squeezed between boxes of junk. A single bare bulb hung from the ceiling, casting harsh shadows.

I sat on the cot, trying not to cry. How had it come to this? Dad used to dote on me, but ever since he married Kim, everything changed.

A disconsolate teenage girl sitting on a cot in a garden shed | Source: Midjourney

He’d promised to buy me a laptop for school, then said he couldn’t afford it. But he bought new ones for Sam and Leo without hesitation. I remembered the excitement in his voice when he told them about the “surprise” he had for them.

“You boys need good computers for your studies,” he’d said, beaming with pride.

When I’d reminded him about his promise to me, he’d just shrugged. “Times are tough, Michelle. Maybe next year.”

Then there was the lake trip. Dad had planned a father-daughter weekend, just the two of us. I’d been looking forward to it for weeks.

“Sorry, kiddo,” he’d said, not meeting my eyes. “Something came up at work. We’ll do it another time.”

A week later, I saw photos on social media of him, Sam, and Leo at the lake, fishing and laughing. When I confronted him about it, he brushed it off.

“The boys were only home for a short time,” he’d explained. “I wanted to do something special with them.”

And now this. Kicked out of my own room, and banished to the shed like some unwanted pet.

I tossed and turned all night, the cot creaking with every movement. In the morning, my phone buzzed with an incoming video call. It was my mom.

“Hi, sweetie,” she said when I answered. “How’s everything at your dad’s?”

I tried to sound upbeat. “Oh, you know. Same old.”

A girl looking at her cell phone, sitting on a cot in a shed | Source: Midjourney

Mom frowned. “Michelle, where are you? Is that… is that the shed?”

I nodded, unable to speak past the lump in my throat.

Mom’s face darkened. “Why on earth are you in the shed?”

“Kim said there’s no room in the house,” I mumbled. “Sam and Leo are using my room.”

“They are WHAT?” Mom exploded. “Oh, hell no. I’m coming over right now.”

“Mom, no, it’s fine,” I protested weakly. But she’d already hung up.

An hour later, I heard tires screeching in the driveway. Mom burst into the shed, her face like thunder.

“Get your things,” she ordered. “We’re going to have a little chat with your father and his wife.”

I trailed after Mom as she stormed into the house. “John!” she yelled. “Get out here right now!”

Dad appeared from the kitchen, looking startled. “Helen? What are you doing here?”

“Why is our daughter sleeping in a shed?” Mom demanded.

Kim rushed in. “Helen, this isn’t your house. You have no right to barge in here making demands.”

Mom turned on her, eyes blazing. “Oh, I have every right. Didn’t John tell you? This house belongs to Michelle.”

The room went dead silent. I stared at Mom, then at Dad, who’d gone pale.

“What are you talking about?” Kim sputtered.

Mom smiled coldly. “When we divorced, we put the house in Michelle’s name. In a year, she’ll own it outright.”

Kim whirled on Dad. “Is this true? You knew about this?”

Dad nodded miserably. “I… I didn’t think it was important.”

“Not important?” Mom scoffed. “You let your daughter sleep in a shed in her own house!”

Sam and Leo appeared in the doorway, looking confused.

“What’s going on?” Leo asked, still clutching his new laptop.

Mom addressed them all. “Listen up. From now on, Michelle sleeps in her room. In her house. End of discussion.”

“But…” Kim started to protest.

A woman reacts in surprise, while a teenager stands in the background | Source: Midjourney

“But nothing,” Mom cut her off. “Unless you want Michelle to kick you all out when she turns eighteen, I suggest you show her some respect.”

She turned to me, her voice softening. “Come on, honey. Let’s get your things. You’re coming home with me.”

As we packed up my stuff, I could hear Dad and Kim arguing in the other room.

“Why didn’t you tell me about the house?” Kim demanded.

“I didn’t want to complicate things,” Dad replied weakly.

“Complicate things? You let me treat your daughter like garbage!”

Their voices faded as Mom and I walked out to her car. As we drove away, I felt a mix of emotions: relief, vindication, and a little sadness.

“You okay, sweetie?” Mom asked, glancing over at me.

I nodded. “Yeah. Thanks for coming to get me.”

“Always,” she said firmly. “I’ll always have your back.”

We rode in silence for a while. Then I asked, “What happens now?”

A woman drives, talking to the girl seated beside her | Source: Midjourney

Mom sighed. “That’s up to you, honey. If you want to keep visiting your dad, we’ll make sure things change. If you don’t, that’s okay too.”

I thought about it. “I think… I think I want to try. But only if things are different.”

“They will be,” Mom assured me. “Your father may be an idiot sometimes, but he loves you. He just needed a wake-up call.”

Over the next week, I stayed with Mom. Dad called every day, apologizing profusely. He promised things would be different, that he’d make it up to me.

Finally, I agreed to go back for a visit. As we pulled up to the house, I saw Dad waiting on the porch.

“Ready?” Mom asked, squeezing my hand.

He nodded, looking chastened. “I know. Come inside, please?”

We followed him in. The house was quiet – no sign of Kim or the boys.

“Where is everyone?” I asked.

A teenage girl addressing an older man | Source: Midjourney

“I asked them to give us some space,” Dad explained. “We need to talk.”

We sat in the living room, the tension palpable.

Dad cleared his throat. “Michelle, I messed up. Big time. I got so caught up in trying to make Kim and her boys happy that I forgot what was really important.”

“Me,” I said quietly.

He nodded, his eyes glistening. “You. My daughter. The most important person in my life.”

“Doesn’t feel like it lately,” I muttered.

Dad winced. “I know. I’ve been a terrible father. But I want to make it right. If you’ll let me.”

I glanced at Mom, who nodded encouragingly.

“What about Kim and the boys?” I asked.

“They know things have to change,” Dad said firmly. “Your room is yours, always. And I’ve made it clear that you’re my priority.”

“And the laptop?” I couldn’t help asking.

Dad smiled sheepishly. “It’s in your room. Along with an apology letter from Sam and Leo.”

I felt a glimmer of hope. “Really?”

“Really,” Dad confirmed. “And I was hoping… maybe we could still do that lake trip? Just the two of us?”

I hesitated, then nodded. “I’d like that.”

Dad’s face lit up. He opened his arms, and after a moment, I stepped into his embrace.

It wasn’t perfect. There was still a lot to work through. But it was a start.

As we hugged, I caught Mom’s eye over Dad’s shoulder. She smiled, giving me a thumbs up. I knew then that no matter what happened, I had people in my corner. And I’d never sleep in a shed again.

A man hugging a teenager girl in a living room | Source: Midjourney

What would you have done? If you enjoyed this story, here’s another one for you about a stepmother and her daughters who kicked a girl out of the house after hearing her father fell into a coma.

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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