The first time they filed for divorce, Ricky and Kristin reconciled. However, that didn’t mean that things had improved. They were still in a very volatile marriage. Both sides made accusations against the other that they were engaging in drug and alcohol abuse. Both claimed each other to be lousy parents.
In 1987, Kristin confessed to People magazine that she made attempts to overcome the drug issues with Ricky. She shared that initially, the two were in it together. They would go on the road together and engage in drug abuse. After some time, the drugs completely messed them up and their marriage. Kristin started therapy and Ricky joined her for some time but eventually stopped coming. Kristin was in the fight alone.
A Strange Garden Party
In 1971, Ricky Nelson performed at Madison Square Garden in a rock revival concert, the Richard Nader Oldies Concert. He was attempting to play his new songs for the crowd, but the crowd wasn't having it. They eventually booed him off stage when he performed The Rolling Stones’ “Honky Tonk Women.” The crowd wasn't so happy with Ricky's choice of clothing; specifically because of his long hair and style, which was very different from Little Ricky.
Although Ricky was a successful composer and rock star, he struggled to rid himself of the one-sided image that had on the show. Mr. Jones said he was a paradox. who didn't know how to be grown-up and was trapped by his television identity. Jones said that "he harbored that hurt for most of the rest of his life -- that he could not be accepted by his peers."
Kristin & Ricky Were Having Trouble
Ricky and his wife had a very rocky marriage, to put it best. In 1977, after 14 years of marriage and four children, their marriage was just about to become a thing of the past. There were several incidences that tore their marriage apart. At one point, Kristin moved Ricky out of their home and placed him into a rented house. She did this while he was on tour. He was left to discover this himself when he came home from the tour.
One month later, Kristin discovered Ricky in the bedroom with two cheerleaders from the Los Angeles Rams, which he claimed was set up. Although the couple eventually worked through their differences, Kristin still wanted to make their separation permanent and legal. In 1982, the couple finally divorced and Ricky received a tough blow when attorneys and accountants took more than $1 million from him.
Ricky's Downward Spiral
Ricky had an intense fear of flying, however, he was unwilling to travel by bus. These two things led him to purchase a private plane that apparently came with a history of mechanical issues. Not exactly the sort of plane you want to be flying in. In late December 1985, Ricky and his band embarked for their three-stop tour of the Southern U.S. On New Year’s Eve that year, the plane crashed straight into some trees northeast of Dallas, Texas. Ricky and six others died on the spot.
Rumors circulated that the crash came about due to drug use by Ricky or the crew, but the Civil Aeronautics Board, as well as other agencies, confirmed in an official report that the cause of the crash was likely due to an onboard heater which caught fire.
Did Cigarettes Kill Harriet?
We have already mentioned that Harriet Nelson became somewhat of a recluse after her husband Ozzie died. The death of her youngest son, Ricky, didn't help her emotional state. When asked if she was in “good spirits” in the early ‘90s, her eldest son David replied, “She hasn’t been in good spirits since dad died,” according to The Baltimore Sun.
Following their deaths, Harriet moved to the Nelson family beach home in Laguna Beach, California. Harriet suffered from emphysema in her later years, something which resulted from her smoking habits which began at age 13. On October 2, 1994, she passed away from congestive heart failure. She reportedly passed away peacefully in her sleep, with David at her side.