This Girl Lost Superstar Dad on Her B-Day Eve – She Was with Him in Hospital before His Death but Was Cut from His Will

Despite being his first child, this celebrity didn’t raise his daughter. He once made a hurtful comment about parenting her, but she only spoke positively about him. When he passed away, he left all his wealth to her younger brother. Read on to learn more about the star and his daughter.

The late star was an exceptional performer with grand ambitions, which he felt were overshadowed by his fine-boned looks. His handsome appearance drew significant attention, and at the height of his fame, he reportedly received around 25,000 letters daily from admirers.

Fans would gather in any available space around his residence just to be close to him or catch a glimpse. Unfortunately, this invasion of privacy frustrated the talented musician and actor.

The star resented that the excessive attention was more for his looks than his talent. Nevertheless, he didn’t shy away from using his appearance to his advantage when necessary. He was married three times before his untimely death.

He had two children, a son named Beau, and a daughter. His first marriage was to Kay Lenz from 1977 to 1983, followed by a marriage to Meryl Tanz from 1984 to 1988. The famous singer’s third wife was songwriter Sue Shifrin, whom he married in 1991 and who paid tribute to him upon his death.

He had his first child, a baby girl, with former model and ex-partner Sherry Williams, while his son was with Shifrin. During his life, the actor had a complicated relationship with his daughter.

Her mother and stepfather, Richard Benedon, raised her. However, her famous father still played an important role in her life. In 2009, People magazine featured an interview with the musician and his daughter, discussing their unique father-daughter relationship.

In the interview, the star admitted he didn’t raise her, which he believed allowed him to be there for her without being judgmental. His daughter appreciated this perspective.

She said, “To be able to go to someone I’m genetically linked to, tell them anything, and know that they’re not going to judge me — it’s unbelievable.” She added, “It’s nice when your dad can be your friend.”

Her connection with the famous David Cassidy began when she was in the fourth grade, but over time, they grew apart. The estrangement was severe enough that David’s daughter was excluded from his will upon his death.

David reportedly drafted his will in 2004. Despite their once strong relationship, where the singer was more than just a listener but also a mentor to his daughter, he offered her valuable advice on navigating the entertainment industry, guidance she later applied in her career.

Following in her father’s footsteps, David’s daughter pursued acting. She often credited him with teaching her the importance of self-investment to achieve her goals. Although their relationship was strained, she remained by his side when he was hospitalized shortly before his death.

This support came despite David’s blunt declaration months earlier that he was merely a biological father and not an active parent. He said, “I never had a relationship with her. I wasn’t her father. I was her biological father, but I didn’t raise her.”

David’s last decade was marred by issues related to his alcohol addiction. Between 2010 and 2014, he was arrested three times for driving under the influence (DUI). Following a 2014 incident, he was sentenced to 90 days in rehabilitation, which coincided with his wife Shifrin filing for divorce. Sadly, rehab wasn’t sufficient to help him.

David continued touring, but fans noticed he often appeared drunk on stage and forgot his lyrics. Later, he revealed that he had dementia, the same disease that had afflicted his mother and maternal grandfather.

The star battled the illness for years until he passed away at 67 due to complications from kidney and liver failure. David died on November 21, 2017, just days before his daughter’s birthday on November 25.

He had been in intensive care since being hospitalized for liver and kidney failure the week before his death. Five months later, his daughter Katie shared her thoughts. The “Arrow” star said, “Even though the loss of my father was hard, it really brought my uncles, myself, and my brother back together.”

She added, “I think that’s the silver lining.” As mentioned earlier, David left all his property to his son Beau, which included the bulk of his estate, estimated at $230,000 after debts were settled.

Beau also inherited David’s $450,000 retirement plan and a $1 million life insurance policy, totaling about $1.68 million.

David, the brother of Shaun Cassidy, was born in Manhattan, New York, as the only child of actors Jack Cassidy and Evelyn Ward.

However, his home life wasn’t always happy. When David was six, his parents separated and eventually divorced. At 11, he moved to Los Angeles to live with his father and his second wife, Shirley Jones, who would later play his mother on the sitcom “The Partridge Family.”

David Cassidy had a complicated relationship with his father, who struggled with alcoholism. When Jack Cassidy died in a house fire in 1976, David spent the next five years in therapy trying to “gain perspective.”