Michael Landon’s health was not his priority, according to his daughter. The actor, who died of pancreatic cancer at age 54, was a stubborn person, Leslie Landon Matthews said in a recent interview. This stubbornness, she explained, influenced how he viewed and treated his health.
Leslie, who acted alongside her father in The Ingalls Family, shared with Fox News that “a characteristic of my father’s personality was his stubbornness. AND I don’t think staying on top of his health was a priority for him.”. “I think he left it out,” she added.
Following Landon’s diagnosis of cancer in 1991, which had spread to his liver, the actor retired with his third wife, Cindy, to their ranch in Malibu, where he adopted a vegetarian diet and began a program of vitamins, enzymes and acupuncture. He also underwent chemotherapy and an experimental procedure with an anti-cancer drug.
The actor died in July 1991, just three months after announcing his diagnosis and ten months after taking Leslie to the altar. However, before his cancer diagnosis, the family had to fight hard to get Landon to see the doctor, according to Leslie.
“My mother always talked about how difficult it was to take him to his physical exams”Leslie stated, further adding that when they did get him to get a checkup, “it was always a feat.”
“And so, when my dad started having uncontrollable pain in his stomach, he was on vacation with my stepmom and my younger brother… He flew home from Utah to go to his doctor’s appointment,” she continued. “He couldn’t ignore it anymore.”
When he could no longer put his health on the back burner, Michael clung to hope, Leslie said. “I think deep down he knew he wasn’t going to survive that particular cancer.”. She really tried to beat this cancer, especially since she still had young children to raise.”
Leslie also commented that her late father used to advise those facing similar health problems “respect the person who is fighting this battle”, “hold on to hope” and “enjoy your family as much as possible.” “Having a good attitude is very important,” he added, “and that’s something my father maintained until the end.”
The now 61-year-old former actress speculated about how her father would feel about her reluctance to prioritize his health if he were still alive. “I think if my dad were alive today, he’d be like, ‘Wow, I screwed up. I really should have stayed on top of my health every year and made sure I got full checkups.’”
Despite everything, Leslie also reflected on the reasons that led her father to make the decision to put his health aside. As the head of the family, Michael always prioritized the well-being of those around him, in addition to always wanting to appear strong and healthy, a support that would be there for everyone until the last of his days.
“If you are a caregiver, you take care of your children and your home, [te] you get busy and distracted,” he explained. “And of course, Your main priority is your family. So it’s very easy to put your health on the back burner.”.
Leslie concluded by saying: “You need to schedule [tus chequeos] like you would do with anything else in your life and make it a priority.”
