She once doubted if she will live long enough to be there for her grandchildren following her cancer diagnosis.
Jaclyn Smith loves having a family. The Charlie's Angels actress is a devoted mother, and she was ecstatic when her first grandchild was born. When Jaclyn eventually got the chance to meet the baby, she fell in love with Bea Kranz, her first granddaughter, and couldn't stop gushing over her. In an interview with PEOPLE in 2017, she described the feeling, “The love that you have for your children, it’s like ‘Oh my God. But this is even bigger — there are no words,” the star talked about welcoming granddaughter Bea in September 2016. “I was thrilled to become a grandma.”
After Bea was born in 2016, her son Gaston Richmond and his partner welcomed a second child into the family in 2019. Jaclyn discussed her grandparenting experiences with PageSix, sharing that becoming a grandmother has changed her. “It’s the best thing in my life,” she exalted. “I would steal them if I could. It’s hard to explain with grandchildren. It’s like you need an extra chamber in your heart. In many ways that grounds you because you look beyond yourself, it’s no longer just about you. You know you’d give it all for them.”
Jaclyn considers it a great privilege to watch her grandchildren mature because she once doubted whether she would. In 2002, the actress disclosed that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer. "My first question was, 'Will I be here for my children?' And he said, 'Absolutely. You got this early, we'll take care of it.' Did it affect our whole family? Yeah. They were in denial. I looked like the healthiest person in the world."
Love these fun photos of my granddaughters. Olivia in her adorable headpiece & Bea celebrating her Bear’s birthday. https://t.co/91rmCk7zhc pic.twitter.com/ZI6DM7UsoC
— Jaclyn Smith (@realjaclynsmith) May 7, 2019
Now that she has beaten cancer, the affection Jaclyn has for her grandchildren knows no bounds. The actress said that having grandchildren gave her life a completely new dimension. She said that having her grandchildren forced her to see much beyond herself, which helped her put things into perspective. The actress shared that she even traveled to Rome with Spencer Margaret and young Bea, sharing that she never wants to be away from her. “I said of course! I don’t want to be away from her ever.”
At 77 years old, Jaclyn will soon get another chance to be a grandmother. She recently learned that Bonnie Lane, her daughter-in-law, is expecting a second child. Jaclyn and Bonnie appeared in a recent Instagram post while attending a baby shower. The two appeared to be excitedly anticipating the arrival of the new family member as Bonnie proudly displayed her growing baby bump.
Jaclyn additionally shared a photograph of Bonnie, Gaston, Chris Deatherage, and his wife, Gaston's business partner, standing with the four of them. In Gaston and Chris' restaurant, The Local Cut. Bonnie commented on the post, "Your support means everything to us."
References:
https://pagesix.com/2022/01/26/jaclyn-smith-credits-good-lighting-for-youthful-photo-with-son/
https://people.com/tv/charlies-angels-jaclyn-smith-grandmother-baby-photos-exclusive/
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cp0apRePmMX/
Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Jason Merritt