“If I’d married an American and lived in Hollywood, I’d probably be on my third husband by now.”

Following a promising career in show industry, Rachel Ward appeared to vanish from the public eye.

Rather than pursuing celebrity, she concentrated on her 39-year marriage to Bryan Brown and their expanding family.

She is devoted to her two grandkids, who she now has.

About the same time that Rachel Ward met Bryan Brown, she was listed as one of the ten most beautiful women in the world. She was a rising star who had been nominated for a Golden Globe and appeared on the cover of UK Vogue.

Richard Chamberlain, her co-star in “The Thorn Birds,” was enamored with the stunning actress. Speaking about their time together on set, he remarked that because of his stunning co-star, all the love scenes were a pleasure to perform. She was in love with someone else, though, even as he was falling for her.

At one point, Chamberlain disclosed that Ward was falling in love with Brown at the time, indicating that she was a romantic, but regrettably not for him. Despite this, Chamberlain claimed that Ward’s enthusiasm was infectious, primarily due to the fact that they portrayed a couple in love.

He went so far as to say that it was easy to accept that Ward was in love with him and no one else. “I assumed I was the one! It was amazing. God, he used to think, ‘She’s really into me.

According to Ward, there was a strong attraction between her and Brown. “His pecs were nice.” It is, after all, quite chemical, don’t you think? She talked about what made her fall in love at first, saying, “It’s pretty basic.” In all honesty, there was no other way to explain her feelings—she simply liked him.

Brown, meanwhile, immediately concluded that Ward was “not a bad sort.” He was attracted to her right away, but it took him a while to express his interest in her. For Ward, however, this was no big thing because, according to Brown, it was a challenge she was eager to take on until he eventually changed.

It was obvious once Ward made up his mind about him: the 35-year-old ladies’ man, who was, to be honest, just a man averse to commitment, was done playing games. It was now time for him to be married, if not to the stunning Rachel Ward.

Despite coming from a shattered home, Brown never thought he would get married, but in nine months, he and Ward were married. Before Ward entered his life, he used to assure his mother that he would never get married.

Ward and Brown were married under different circumstances, despite the fact that many people decide to get married after discovering they have everything they could possibly need and want in a spouse. Brown was filming a project with Paul McCartney in London at the time. When Ward arrived, they got into a heated dispute.

Brown said, “I just thought we may as well get married if we’re going to argue like that.” In Oxfordshire, the home of Ward’s boyhood, they were married that year. After a while, they made Sydney their home, raising Rose, Matilda, and James, their three children.

Selecting an Alternative Course
Ward was the star of numerous songs prior to “The Thorn Birds.” Although her 1983 mini-TV series with Chamberlain was well-received, she eventually gave up acting due to scathing criticism of her performance. Speaking on her personal experience, she acknowledged:

“I took being slaughtered very seriously. After that, I never really regained my confidence.

Ward’s career was impacted by “The Thorn Birds,” but in the end, it helped her find the love of her life. As they waited for a take one day, Brown instructed Ward to raise her hand. When he saw three lines in her hand during his palm reading, he concluded that she would give birth to three children. They had no idea that they would end up having three children together.

Ward kept acting, but not very often. She made the decision to put her family first and relocated to her husband’s home country of Australia.

In response to a question concerning advice on preserving marriage, Brown says that one should “say yes to your wife all the time, and if anything goes wrong, say ‘it’s my fault.’” Men would be happier if they knew that.

Together, the charming couple had three children who all follow in their footsteps: The most well-known roles for their 1987-born daughter Matilda are in the television series “Lessons from the Grave,” “How God Works,” and “Let’s Talk About.” Their daughter Rosie is well-known for “Black Mirror,” “Inside No. 9,” and “Gangs of London,” while their only son Joe is well-known for “Let’s Talk About” and “Rake.”

Brown acted in the family-friendly film “Palm Beach,” directed by Ward, with his daughter Matilda. The family completed the project collectively.

When Matilda, Ward and Brown’s daughter, gave birth to Zan Neathway Gooding, her first boy, in 2019, the couple became grandparents for the first time. Brown remained by her daughter’s side, eager to eventually hold his grandson in his arms.

The actor did not sure how to react to being referred to as “grandfather,” even if he was a devoted grandfather, since it seemed to reveal his age. But whether he liked it or not, he had to admit that he would always be referred to as “grandpa.”

At first, Brown was concerned about becoming a grandfather because a lot of people were assuming he would adore it. When his grandchild arrived, he quickly became attached to the young boy and wanted to spend as much time as possible with him. He had wanted to work through that portion on his own.

Following the birth of her son, Matilda married Scott Gooding, formally becoming his adolescent son’s stepmother. They had originally planned to wed on Brown and Ward’s land in New South Wales, but they had to postpone their wedding due to the fear of a wildfire.

The family was forced to evacuate after the bushfires threatened to destroy their house. Although they would have preferred to wed at home like her parents did, Matilda decided to get married in Sydney to make sure everyone was safe.

Gooding’s kid was very involved in the wedding. With a broad smile on his face, he stood behind his father during the ceremony. According to the renowned chef, the wedding was “possibly the best moment” of his life, therefore it was the perfect unforgettable occasion.

Matilda is a happy mother of two now that he has had her younger siblings taken care of. Gooding posted a cute picture of his son strolling and pulling the pram of his younger siblings.

Similar to how Ward and Brown remain involved in their children’s life, they also make an effort to spend as much time as they can with their grandchildren. The devoted grandparents post glimpses of their grandparenting on Instagram, where they participate in a variety of activities.

Ward is seen gardening with her oldest grandson Zan in one cute video. In their herb garden, they can be seen sprinkling sugar cane mulch. Gooding boasts that his mother-in-law is “nurturing” her grandkids in the same manner that she strives to take care of the surroundings.

Zan spends time with their farm’s horses when he and his grandmother, whom he refers to as “mopie,” aren’t in the garden. They also spent a Christmas at the family farm, where the devoted grandma raised her first grandchild by exposing him to the animals at a young age to help him become accustomed to them.

Anouk, her second grandchild, arrived, and Ward made sure to spend equal time with him. One day, Gooding took pictures of Ward walking with her daughter Matilda and her second grandson, capturing the precious moment.

When their daughter Rosie became engaged to her fiance Andrew Cameron in 2020, their family grew even more. The start of a stunning partnership was marked by their Instagram engagement announcement.

After a span of two years, Rosie and Andrew joyfully relocated to a stunning new residence in New South Wales. Surrounded by a forest, waterfalls, and an abundance of avocado trees, the property has a modest house.

All of their neighbors stopped by to give the gorgeous couple a warm welcome when they arrived in the neighborhood. They declare they intend to stay awhile and claim to have everything they could possibly need in the town.

Cameron is an Australian regenerative farmer who shares Ward’s enthusiasm for the practice. He was a perfect fit for the rest of the Brown family, which made it simple for everyone to get along and share interests.

Ward and Brown have raised their family admirably throughout it all. Despite the fact that their children have grown, they maintain a close relationship and try to spend as much time as possible with their in-laws. The Browns, Goodings, and Camerons were a joyful family celebrating Christmas together in 2021.

Ward claims that at that point in her life, she most likely would have been married to a third husband if she had married an American and moved to Hollywood.

Ward and Brown are enjoying a successful marriage and their children are all grown up and independent. Ward acknowledges that she thinks there’s more to life than her marriage and her family life, even after 39 years of marriage and counting. Says she:

“While my family and marriage are very important to me, they are also not the end all be all.” I want to pursue a profession in acting because I adore it.

Ward has all the connections necessary to maintain her presence in Hollywood, even if she has spent the years living in Australia. As a matter of fact, she has been making the trip to Hollywood on demand for years.

Ward claims that even though it could have been more practical for her to live in America for her career, she most likely would have been married to her third husband by then if she had married an American and moved to Hollywood.

Rather, she is in a committed relationship with the passion of her life and has complete control over her house and family. When she’s not working on a project, the actress frequently shares with her kids what she does with pride.

One day, while painting her house over several days, her daughter Rosie captured her elevating a glass and the ladder she needed to do the job. Instagram users agreed with the happy daughter’s goal of showcasing what an amazing mother Ward was.

Ward shares more on her Instagram than only her abilities and priceless family moments—her sense of humor. She corrected misinformation regarding her activities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

She reported the following facts: (1) she hadn’t visited the US in more than five years; (2) she didn’t have a personal trainer; (3) she had spent the previous ten days at the mid-north coast; and (5) she lacked COVID-19. “Take a swing at another witch,” she concluded her amusing message.

Ward works on her farm while Brown is filming “Darby and Joan” on television. Together with other things, they are the owners of The Good Farm Shop, which offers ready-made, organic meals.

A Family Forgot Their Wealthy Grandpa at a Gas Station on His Birthday — The Next Day, His Lawyer Called Them

On his 73rd birthday, Lennox treated his family to a lavish beach trip, only to be ignored, dismissed, and forgotten — literally! They left him at a gas station on the drive home. But the family learned the cost of their callous behavior when Lennox’s lawyer called them the next day.

I turned 73 last Tuesday. Most men my age would be proud. I’d transformed my grandfather’s humble construction company into a sprawling empire that stretched across three states.

A man seated alone at a dining table | Source: Midjourney

A man seated alone at a dining table | Source: Midjourney

But what good was any of it when I sat alone at my mahogany dining table, staring at a cake with no one to share it?

I had called my son Gregory, my daughter Caroline, their spouses, and all five of my grandchildren to invite them to celebrate my birthday.

All of them had answered with excuses; they were too busy to spend one evening with me.

A man speaking on his phone | Source: Midjourney

A man speaking on his phone | Source: Midjourney

I sat in my study later that night, nursing a glass of scotch, when an idea struck me.

Money. It had always been the one thing that got their attention. The one thing that made their schedules “magically open up,” as my late wife Helen used to say.

So I rented the most luxurious tour bus available and planned a weeklong trip to the coast. All expenses paid.

Seating inside a luxury tour bus | Source: Pexels

Seating inside a luxury tour bus | Source: Pexels

Then I sent out new invites to my family, asking them to join me for the “real birthday celebration.”

The responses were predictably enthusiastic, now that they were getting more than a slice of cake and a few hours with an old man out of it.

When the day arrived, all 15 of them showed up with piles of luggage and wide smiles.

People carrying bags | Source: Pexels

People carrying bags | Source: Pexels

My great-granddaughter Zoe squealed when she saw the tour bus and instantly started taking selfies in front of it.

I watched them board, chattering and laughing. My family… my legacy. I smiled to myself as I climbed aboard last. Maybe this was how we’d finally connect.

The countryside rolled by in waves of gold and green while I sat in the back, watching them all.

A road cutting through the country | Source: Pexels

A road cutting through the country | Source: Pexels

Gregory played cards with his boys. Caroline sipped wine with her daughter-in-law. The youngest kids bounced between seats, high on sugar and excitement.

No one sat with me. Not at any point during the many hours it took to reach our destination.

The coast was beautiful, I’ll give it that. Blue waves crashing against rocky shores, and seagulls wheeling overhead.

A road on the coast | Source: Pexels

A road on the coast | Source: Pexels

I paid for a boat tour on our first day, but when I joined my family in the hotel lobby, Gregory frowned at me.

“Don’t you think you’re a little old to be going on a boat trip, Dad? Think about your health. What if you had another heart attack?”

“I—”

“Greg’s right, Dad.” Caroline cut me off. “It’s best if you stay here.”

A woman smiling at someone | Source: Pexels

A woman smiling at someone | Source: Pexels

And that was the pattern for the entire week.

I’d organized spa treatments, fishing excursions, surfing lessons, you name it. But I didn’t get to enjoy any of it. Or spend any time with my family.

Oh, they were careful to wrap their excuses in concern for my health, but Zoe’s obsession with social media betrayed them all.

A young teen girl staring at her cell phone | Source: Pexels

A young teen girl staring at her cell phone | Source: Pexels

I was on my way to the beach (by myself) when I spotted Zoe in the garden just outside the hotel entrance, phone held out in front of her.

I started walking toward her but froze when I got close enough to overhear what she was saying.

“… enjoying the beach with my fam! We were even kind enough to bring my great-grandpa along, although my mom and grandma say he can’t do much because of his health issues. At least he can chill by the pool!”

A young teen girl using her cell phone | Source: Pexels

A young teen girl using her cell phone | Source: Pexels

Zoe is only 12 and might be excused for spouting nonsense, but it was the narrative beneath her words that broke me; the things her mother and Caroline had told her.

I saw the truth now. I’d thought I was investing in a chance to bring my family together when I paid for this trip, but they just saw me as useless baggage they were forced to drag along.

I went down to the beach and stayed there, watching the families who actually cared about each other building sandcastles and laughing together until the stars came out.

Starry sky over a beach | Source: Pexels

Starry sky over a beach | Source: Pexels

The week passed quickly.

Too quickly for them, apparently. The complaints started before we even loaded the bus for the return trip.

“God, this drive is going to be brutal,” Caroline muttered, sunglasses perched on her head.

A woman staring at something | Source: Pexels

A woman staring at something | Source: Pexels

“I don’t know why Grandpa didn’t just rent a private jet,” her eldest son said, loud enough for everyone to hear.

Loud enough for me to hear.

Two hours into the journey home, I felt a tightness in my chest.

A distressed man | Source: Midjourney

A distressed man | Source: Midjourney

A cold sweat broke out across my forehead.

It wasn’t a heart attack — I’d had one of those before and knew the difference. This was just age and stress and heartache making themselves known.

“Can we pull over?” I asked, my voice weaker than I intended. “I need a minute.”

A man with his hands pressed together | Source: Pexels

A man with his hands pressed together | Source: Pexels

Gregory looked up from his laptop, irritated. “We just stopped an hour ago.”

“You can’t wait 30 more minutes?” Caroline snapped. “There’s a rest area up ahead.”

I pressed a hand to my stomach. “I just need a moment to breathe.”

Close up of a man's face | Source: Pexels

Close up of a man’s face | Source: Pexels

My son-in-law, James, sighed dramatically and signaled the driver.

The bus pulled into a grimy gas station, all buzzing florescent lights and faded advertisements.

“Make it quick, Dad,” Gregory said, not looking up from his screen.

A man typing on a laptop | Source: Pexels

A man typing on a laptop | Source: Pexels

Gone was the concern for my health that they’d pulled out like red cards at a soccer match every time I tried to join in on the holiday excursions.

I shuffled inside the gas station restroom and splashed water on my face. The man who looked back at me in the mirror seemed suddenly smaller than I remembered.

When I walked back outside, blinking in the harsh sunlight, the parking lot was empty. The bus was gone.

A gas station | Source: Pexels

A gas station | Source: Pexels

I stood there, my blazer suddenly insufficient against the wind that picked up. No phone. No wallet. Nothing but the clothes on my back and the watch on my wrist.

“You okay, sir?” A young voice broke through my shock.

A girl stood in the gas station doorway, maybe 19, her name tag reading “Marlee.”

“I think I’ve been… forgotten,” I said.

A startled-looking man | Source: Midjourney

A startled-looking man | Source: Midjourney

She frowned, looking around the empty lot. “Someone just left you here?”

“My family,” I said, and the words felt like glass in my throat.

“That’s messed up,” she said simply. Then she disappeared inside, returning moments later with a foil-wrapped package. “Microwave burrito. It’s not much, but you look like you could use something.”

A burrito | Source: Pexels

A burrito | Source: Pexels

I took it, surprised by the kindness of the gesture. “Thank you.”

Marlee’s shift ended two hours later. During that time, no one called, and no one came back for me.

“Look, I can’t just leave you here,” she said. “My apartment’s not far…”

So, I went home with Marlee to an apartment smaller than my bedroom.

An apartment building | Source: Pexels

An apartment building | Source: Pexels

She made soup from a can and loaned me thick wool socks when she noticed me rubbing my feet.

“My brother’s room is yours tonight,” she said, showing me to a small bedroom with posters of bands I didn’t recognize. “We’ll figure this out in the morning.”

I lay awake that night, staring at the ceiling.

A man lying in a bed | Source: Pexels

A man lying in a bed | Source: Pexels

Not once had Marlee asked who I was beyond my name. Not once had she questioned whether helping me would benefit her in any way.

She saw an old man in need and extended her hand. Simple as that.

When morning came, I borrowed Marlee’s cellphone and made one call — to my lawyer. It was time to teach my family a lesson.

A man making a phone call | Source: Pexels

A man making a phone call | Source: Pexels

I was home by mid-morning, and my family started arriving by noon, their faces twisted with panic and indignation.

“Dad, there’s been a terrible misunderstanding,” Gregory started, standing in my foyer like he owned the place.

“We went back for you!” Caroline insisted, though we both knew it was a lie.

A woman speaking to someone | Source: Pexels

A woman speaking to someone | Source: Pexels

I let them talk themselves out. Let them rage and plead and make promises we all knew they wouldn’t keep.

When they finally fell silent, I opened the front door.

Marlee stood on the porch, a plate of homemade cookies in her hands. I placed a gentle hand on Marlee’s shoulder as she entered, confusion evident on her face as she took in the scene.

A confused woman | Source: Pexels

A confused woman | Source: Pexels

“This,” I said, calm as still water, “is Marlee. She didn’t know who I was. She didn’t know what I had. But she saved me, took care of me, and reminded me what it means to be seen.”

My family stared, uncomprehending.

“I’m taking back all the businesses, cars, houses, and every other gift I’ve ever given you all,” I continued, watching the realization dawn on their faces. “Everything you thought was yours will now belong to her.”

A man pointing his finger | Source: Pexels

A man pointing his finger | Source: Pexels

“You can’t be serious,” Caroline whispered, her perfectly manicured hand pressed to her throat.

“You left me at a gas station without a backward glance. And I finally saw you all clearly.”

Marlee looked between us all, stunned. “Lennox, I don’t understand—”

“You will,” I said gently. “But unlike them, you never have to worry about what it means to be family. You already know.”

An emotional man | Source: Pexels

An emotional man | Source: Pexels

They left in a storm of threats and tears. But I felt lighter than I had in decades. Marlee stayed, confused but kind as ever.

“You don’t have to do anything,” I told her as we sat in my study later. “The money and properties are yours, regardless. But I hope you’ll let an old man show you the ropes.”

She smiled then, and it reminded me so much of Helen that my heart squeezed in my chest.

A smiling woman | Source: Pexels

A smiling woman | Source: Pexels

“I think,” she said carefully, “that we could both use a friend.”

And for the first time in longer than I could remember, I didn’t feel forgotten at all.

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