Don Johnson at 73: How actor ditched his 'vices' to find love with wife Kelley Phleger
WICHITA, KANSAS: Hollywood veteran Don Johnson completes another year of his happy and eventful life. The ‘Miami Vice’ star turned 73 on Thursday, December 15. He will be celebrating his special day in a much calmer way with his wife of 23 years, Kelley Phleger, who turned his life upside down. Married for 23 long years, the Hollywood star couple is undoubtedly worth emulating.
Johnson and Phleger exchanged vows in April 1999, after his divorce from former wife Melanie Griffith. The ‘Knives Out’ star left everyone shocked when he quit drinking, partying, and his luxury-filled life to tie knot with a Montessori nursery school teacher. But he later revealed his luxurious life is worth nothing in front of the happiness Phleger gave to him.
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As per Amomama, before Johnson met his wife, his life was filled with sorrow and grief. From a ranch to a private plan, the ‘The Hot Spot’ star had it all, but he was intensely unhappy about life. He only found the true happiness of his life when he ran into his wife. Johnson first met Phleger at a birthday party for San Francisco's mayor at the time. He revealed when he first saw Kelly, he was left completely mesmerized by her beauty and persona. “This statuesque brunette was clearly a woman of substance,” said Johnson about Phleger, according to Closer Weekly. “I made it my business to meet her,” be added.
The early life for Johnson wasn't always as pleasant as it is now. He was abused by his enraged father all through his youth and had a very poor upbringing. The situation got worse for Johnson when his parents divorced and left him to fend for his other siblings. He once mentioned that he thinks having to take care of himself at such a young age gave him a tremendous character and helped to mould him.
With his new personality, Johnson soon entered the glamorous world of acting and garnered everything he ever desired for. But the desire of being happy was still left blank. In the hope of finding happiness, Johnson married five times, twice to the same woman, and dated a series of famous ladies. He was also growing tired of his lifestyle, which affected his health. He was becoming overweight and didn't think he'd make it to 30.
However, he found a reason to live when he fell in love with Phleger. The love couple soon fell truly and madly in love and decided to get married in 1999. Their star-studded wedding included actor Robert Wagner, who served as Johnson's best man, and Mayor Willie Brown, who presided over the civil ceremony. "I had a rare moment of clarity and asked this woman to marry me, and I still think that she's under a spell. And so I beg of you not to snap your fingers because God knows what will happen if she ever comes to," Johnson told the Independent in 2014.
The husband and wife went on to have three children together, including daughter Atherton Grace, who was born in December 1999, and sons Jasper Breckinridge, who was born in June 2002, and Deacon, who was born in April 2006. Johnson started investing more time in his family and decided to make up for lost time with his two oldest children. In his old age, he has chosen to live a "sacred" life with those he loves. Johnson and Phleger often share various memorable moments of their lives together on Instagram and sometimes include sweet words with the epic posts.