Spencer Wright, a famous rodeo cowboy, lost his young son Levi Wright.The three-year-old boy died after a near-drowning accident caused a traumatic brain injury.Spencer Wright, a famous rodeo cowboy, lost his young son Levi Wright.Levi was taken to a hospital in Salt Lake City after he drove a toy tractor into a river near his family’s house by accident.
About a mile downstream, Levi was found unconscious by local police.After being told he was brain dead and not likely to live, the boy started to show signs of improvement.“LEVI AWAKENED!” We don’t know much, but the doctor told me it was okay to be excited about that, and I AM! “My child is really tough!” his mom Kallie Wright wrote on Facebook.MRI results the next day “weren’t good,” which was a shame.“We are broken, but it’s just pictures that show a certain way of life.” “What Levi does over the next few days will really tell us everything,” Kallie said.Family and friends of Levi kept asking for prayers while he fought in the hospital.On June 2, Kallie told me some terrible news“After many sleepless nights, a lot of research, many talks with the best neurologists in the world, and millions of prayers, we are here facing our biggest fear,” she wrote. “Levi only showed us enough to buy us some time.” He did those things to show us that he wanted to stay here, even though the odds were against him. Now we know that he just wanted to give us time to be okay with letting him go.Levi Wright’s family turned off his life support after many tests, scans, and consultations.The next day, Mindy Sue Clark, a family friend, wrote on Facebook that Levi had died.“The last two weeks have been so hard that I can’t even begin to describe them.” The phone rang the night of his accident and I got the message that he had to leave last night. That’s why I don’t want to think about the bad or sad things. It hurts like someone tore my heart out and squished it right in front of me. What I want to talk about is all the miracles we saw during those 12 days.“The most wonderful three-year-old ever.” He was so perfect that we couldn’t keep him. In the last 12 days, this baby boy did a lot. He got a lot of people to get together. A child brought light into a very dark world. His parents could not have asked for a better child.During this very hard time, our thoughts and prayers are with the Wright family.
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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