Before the age of twelve, Willie Aames became a teen heartthrob thanks to roles in “Gunsmoke,” “The Courtship of Eddie’s Father,” and “Adam 12.”
He eventually won his career-defining role on “Eight Is Enough” when he was a teenager, which helped him achieve the most success. On the set of “Rocky Road,” where he was a guest star, the actor first met Maylo McCaslin in 1985 during his previous career.
As opposed to her co-stars, who were nice to him on site, they did not speak much during their initial encounter, which made it less than ideal. His fellow actors encouraged him to propose to McCaslin as well.
Despite being in a relationship at the time, the actress’ co-stars persuaded Aames to ask her out because hers was about to end.
Since she had a boyfriend, he was hesitant to ask her out, but after much persuasion, he did. McCaslin concurred under the condition that he also take the entire cast and crew.
Even if everything did not go as planned, the interaction helped them get along better, and things moved forward. They eventually got married, but throughout that time, Aames harbored worries about his new union.
The celebrity stated that he learned she had cancer before they were married, which made him worried he would be taking on more responsibility than he could handle. And to make matters worse, he was hesitant to dedicate himself to a romantic partnership.
His ex-wife Vicki Weatherman’s ongoing financial demands to look after their son Chris were just one of his many worries. Nevertheless, he made the decision to stay with McCaslin, and they finally had Harleigh Jean Upton.
McCaslin had a challenging delivery because the baby got caught in the birth canal. Furthermore, only one side of her body was completely numb from the epidural, leaving the other side vulnerable to the excruciating pain she experienced throughout the procedure.
Fortunately, the couple had a daughter, whom Aames refers to as their “miracle baby.” But their marital problems didn’t end there; they soon found themselves mired in debt and faced several financial difficulties.
The comfort of having a full family was something Aames only experienced briefly. The actor’s marriage eventually ran into problems with IRS payments.
Around that time, his former manager filed a lawsuit against him seeking more than $1 million, which McCaslin referred to as “People scampering for what was left of Willie’s money.”
The family finally settled in a little apartment close to the seashore. Despite their financial struggles, they continued to be pleased and joyful because they had each other. That quickly changed when the celebrity developed an addiction, prompting his wife to depart with their child and file for divorce from him.
The performer, who had made more than a million dollars a year, found himself unexpectedly unable to pay for necessities. Aames was at his lowest point at the time. He remembered:
“All of a sudden, he had no wife, no child, no bank account, and no work. I never imagined it would occur so quickly. I was essentially homeless when I woke up.”
He slept in parks and garages, shared squats with pals, and wondered whether this was how his life was supposed to be. The superstar then considered taking his own life and came dangerously close to doing so after becoming unable to cope with the tragic reality of his wife’s departure.
After dealing with his low points for years, Aames understood he had the power to change his situation. He clarified: “I could choose. I had the option to start afresh at 47 or become a victim. What then did I do?”
Aames made the ideal decision. The then-47-year-old picked up some technical skills and learnt a trade, motivated by his desire to achieve. He became a famous satellite installer after being turned down for a number of jobs, unconcerned about the implications for his status as a former adolescent heartthrob.
After that, he worked as a cruise director after beginning as a ping-pong boy “moving discs on a shuffleboard.” Aames and his daughter Harleigh were reunited after years of hardships and overcoming life’s tribulations.
He also accepted a profession as a financial counselor, which was something he had never imagined. He is now content with his new life and occupation and is relieved to have recovered.
Willie Aames is blissfully wed to Winnie Hung, his third wife, at the age of 62. The former adolescent heartthrob-turned-director of a cruise liner thinks everything about their love journey, from meeting to their marriage in March 2014, was destiny.
Notably, the “Legends of Tomorrow” actress started writing Aames letters when she was a young girl, usually in the midst of tens of thousands of fan mail. Then, on a fateful day, he made the decision to choose a random letter and call the sender—who later revealed to be his future wife.
He described how she hung up as soon as he introduced himself, recalling the momentous event. But later, he called again and persuaded her that it was him. They continued to correspond by letter for the following 30 years, occasionally speaking on the phone, but never actually meeting.
The two maintained their sporadic friendship for years before losing touch. But after a long absence, Hung was able to get in touch with him once more. After much deliberation, the two decided to actually meet in Vancouver during one of Aames’ cruise stops.
Their first fairytale-like connection soon developed into much more. They started dating, fell in love, and were married after a lot of coaxing from the actor.
The pair co-wrote and produced the film “Love In The Limelight,” which was based on their fairytale love story. The endeavor gave the couple the chance to inspire millions of people by telling their actual tale.
