Ryan O’Neal and Farrah Fawcett’s Love Tale: ‘My Heart was Entirely Hers
In 2009, O'Neal stated that there wasn't a single day he didn't love Fawcett.
Prior to his passing, Ryan O’Neal referred to Farrah Fawcett as his “forever Valentine.”
His son Patrick O’Neal shared the news of O’Neal’s death on Friday via an Instagram tribute. He was 82 years old.
Fawcett and O’Neal commenced their relationship in 1979, experiencing an intermittent connection. Their son, Redmond O’Neal, came into the world in 1985.
Though never wedded, their intense romance endured for 17 years until their split in 1997. Even post-separation, despite living in different residences, they remained intertwined in each other’s lives, co-parenting their son.
Their paths crossed again after the Love Story luminary was diagnosed with leukemia in 2001. O’Neal stood steadfastly by Fawcett’s side through her battle with anal cancer until her passing at the age of 62 in 2009.
“I adored her with all my heart,” O’Neal conveyed to PEOPLE after her passing. “Her absence leaves an immense void in my life.”
In an exclusive revelation to PEOPLE a decade after her demise, O’Neal affirmed that “there wasn’t a single day” when he did not hold affection for her.
Fawcett and O’Neal’s affection blossomed while she was still married to Lee Majors, star of The Six Million Dollar Man. O’Neal, tasked with checking on Majors’ wife during his absence for filming, ended up on a date with Fawcett. He recounted to the Los Angeles Times: “We sat and kissed and kissed until our lips were sore.”
“I was so captivated by the mental and physical attraction to him that I was solely consumed by the moment,” Fawcett later shared with LIFE Magazine.
O’Neal disclosed to the New York Daily News, “My focus shifted entirely to this woman. For the first time, something held greater importance than myself.”
This marked the beginning of a “spontaneous” and “volatile” romance between Fawcett and the man she considered the “love of her life.” The couple engaged in intense conflicts, as detailed by O’Neal in his 2012 memoir ‘Both of Us: My Life With Farrah’. He revealed that during one heated altercation, their then-six-year-old son allegedly threatened self-harm with a butcher knife to stop their fight.
“Fawcett told PEOPLE in 1981, ‘Ryan is the most truthful individual I’m acquainted with. He has aided in fostering my independence by being an exceptional source of encouragement. I believe our personalities complement each other quite well.'”
Fawcett’s intimate circle of friends and fellow actors remarked on the extraordinary nature of the couple’s romantic relationship.
“Ryan was her soulmate. I believe she found true happiness with him. Their passion fuelled both their love and their disagreements. It was always vibrant. They shared an undeniable chemistry,” revealed Sylvia Dorsey, a close friend of Fawcett.
“When you saw them together, they exuded an intense energy,” shared Nancy Collins in the This is Farrah Fawcett special. “Their connection was palpable.”
Mela Murphy, a friend of Fawcett’s, recalled that O’Neal spent nights by her side in a cot at St. John’s Medical Center in Los Angeles during her final days.
According to Alana Stewart, a close friend of Fawcett’s speaking to PEOPLE in 2019, in the days leading up to her death, O’Neal proposed marriage to Fawcett.
Stewart mentioned, “I believe they would’ve wed if she had pulled through because he asked her to marry him while she was in the hospital, and she accepted. However, her condition deteriorated rapidly.” Stewart added, “This happened just a few weeks before she passed, so perhaps it wasn’t practical. Their connection was profound, and they shared a deep love. Despite all the challenges they faced, he was the one she wanted by her side.”
Lately, O’Neal posted a picture of Fawcett’s Hollywood Walk of Fame star on Valentine’s Day. In his Instagram post, he penned, “My everlasting Valentine… 🌹.”
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O’Neal leaves behind Redmond, along with his two children, Tatum and Griffin, born to Joanna More, as well as his son Patrick, from his relationship with Leigh Taylor-Young.
