{"id":349,"date":"2026-07-20T00:00:45","date_gmt":"2026-07-20T00:00:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/metropolitantimeshock.pics\/?p=349"},"modified":"2026-07-20T00:00:45","modified_gmt":"2026-07-20T00:00:45","slug":"what-happened-to-this-80s-teen-idol-who-lost-everything-became-homeless-slept-under-bushes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/metropolitantimeshock.pics\/?p=349","title":{"rendered":"What Happened to This ’80s Teen Idol Who Lost Everything, Became Homeless & Slept Under Bushes?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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This iconic actor found himself abandoned by his family during one of the darkest chapters of his life. Struggling with thoughts of suicide, he made the courageous decision to rebuild his life. Today, he feels “happier” than ever after embracing a fresh start in his third marriage.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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This ’70s and ’80s teen idol gained fame with “Eight Is Enough” and “Charles in Charge.” However, his life unraveled as his marriage ended, leaving him homeless and estranged from his child.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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This once-promising career began early, and by his teenage years, success seemed limitless. Reflecting on his meteoric rise in the co-authored book “Grace Is Enough,” the star\u00a0divulged<\/u><\/a>, “I did my first commercial at the age of nine, and by nineteen, I was making a million dollars a year \u2014 and doing a killer job of going through most of it.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The actor on the set of “Eight Is Enough,” 1977 | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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At the peak of his stardom on “Eight Is Enough,”\u00a0the actor<\/u><\/a>\u00a0experienced significant personal milestones. In 1979, he married Victoria Averbach, and two years later, in 1981, they welcomed their son, Christopher Aames, their only child together.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The actor and Victoria Averbach on February 18, 1981 | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The couple’s marriage ended in 1984, marking the beginning of a devastating period for the actor. At the height of his success on “Eight Is Enough,” alongside Adam Rich whom he once\u00a0referred<\/a>\u00a0to as his “little brother” and “lifelong friend,” the TV star earned just over a million dollars annually.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The actor posing for a portrait session on January 1, 1984, in Los Angeles, California. | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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“Then suddenly there was no job, no bank account, no wife, no child. I never dreamt it could happen that fast,” the celebrity\u00a0admitted<\/u><\/a>. Struggling to survive, he\u00a0revealed<\/u><\/a>, “I found myself virtually homeless. I stayed with friends when I could, slept in parking garages or slept in the park.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The actor attends Magic 106 Radio Station Spoiled Brat party on November 21, 1984, in Hollywood, California. | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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He described the experience as deeply shameful, recalling moments spent lying beneath bushes and\u00a0questioning<\/u><\/a>, “Is this how it turns out? Is this how my life really turns out?”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Willie Aames and family attend Hollywood All-Star Game on August 26, 1989, in Hollywood, California. | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The struggles during this turbulent time took a heavy toll, with reports suggesting he may have reached a breaking point and attempted suicide. When looking back, he\u00a0acknowledged<\/u><\/a>, “I gave people a lot of cause for concern, and I think they acted on those concerns. I’m glad they did. Beyond that, that time period is a blur.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The actor at the Hollywood All-Star Game on August 26, 1989, in Hollywood, California. | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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During this difficult period, he also battled addiction to drugs and alcohol. In an interview on “Studio 10,” he reflected on his struggles,\u00a0emphasizing<\/u><\/a>\u00a0personal accountability, “The fact is, I made my own poor choices, and knew better, in most cases. And I paid the price for it.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The actor at the CBS TV Affiliates party on May 11, 1983, in Century City, California. | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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When asked happened, he candidly\u00a0revealed<\/u><\/a>, “I lost everything at one point. I went from eating at the White House to sleeping in the bushes.” The TV producer also disclosed that no one extended a helping hand during this time, leaving it up to him to turn his life around.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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