“She Was Happy Alone, Until Phil Donahue Came Along and Stole Her Heart”
The couple previously discussed how they were able to maintain their almost 45-year marriage.
Before Donahue passed away at the age of 88, they had been together for almost five decades and had overcome challenging circumstances that had strengthened their bond.
The couple discussed their marriage in “What Makes a Marriage Last: 40 Celebrated “In Their Memoir, Marlo Thomas and Phil Donahue Share How Love Transformed Her Views on Marriage”
She didn’t think marriage would have enough space for her, which was the reason. She was so opposed to it that whenever the topic came up, she would respond cheekily.
According to Thomas, getting married is akin to living with your jailer and trying to appease them. Her other jab at the establishment was no less vicious: “Marriage is like a vacuum cleaner: you stick it to your ear, and it sucks out all your energy and ambition.”
Nevertheless, Thomas ultimately wed Donahue, the love of her life. Before he passed away, the couple was together for nearly fifty years. After a protracted illness, Donahue passed away on Sunday evening, August 18, at the age of 88.
His devoted family released a statement confirming the tragic news. They said, “Groundbreaking TV talk show journalist Phil Donahue died Sunday night at home surrounded by his wife of 44 years Marlo Thomas, his sister, his children, grandchildren and his beloved golden retriever Charlie.”
Donahue’s family chose not to disclose the cause of his death in the midst of the news they released.”Celebrate Phil Donahue’s Legacy: Family Asks for Donations to St. Jude’s and Notre Dame Fund”
Giving in to Matrimony and Overcoming Challenges
Donahue had already met Thomas, and their book states that they did so in Chicago in 1977. He asked her to participate on his talk show while she was on a movie tour, and she said they “clicked,” adding that it was clear they were attracted to each other. I admired his self-assurance so much. He was skilled at what he did.”
Thomas claimed that she and he fell in love right away. She claimed that the late, great talk show presenter, who had blue eyes and white hair, literally drew her in. She had to go to the next city once the tour ended in Chicago.
Nevertheless, that didn’t stop Donahue from discovering her location. When he reached out, he asked if Denver was too far from Chicago, to which she replied that it wasn’t.
After that, he visited her in Denver, and they had dinner together. Thomas clarified that their connection progressed after that.
She also shared that, despite her extensive time in Hollywood, she had never encountered anyone quite like her beloved, who felt more like a family member. Besides sharing similar middle-class values with Thomas, Donahue hailed from the Midwest.
The late television host was raising four boys by herself and unmarried when the two first met. His daughter, his fifth child, resided with his former spouse. The host of “The Phil Donahue Show” was becoming accustomed to attending social gatherings with a woman who wasn’t his spouse when he met Thomas.
The next evening, he and Thomas went out for dinner. They spent three years dating before tying the knot in 1980. Their intimate wedding was attended by 35 guests, including close family members.
Upon Thomas’s marriage, her family found it hard to believe. She had an unwritten agreement with a friend who was pleased for Thomas upon her return from her honeymoon.
A bridal shower was thrown for Donahue’s wife by the friend and another person. Additionally, the two created little posters that included every bad thing Donahue has ever said about marriage. These were delightfully posted up throughout the space!
When Thomas saw all of the notes combined, he was astonished and thought it was “no wonder” she had never wanted to be married. But her mother, who kept asking Donahue, “How did you get her to do this?” at the ceremony, was the one who was most shocked by her marriage.
However, Thomas’s father was just relieved that Sarah had settled down and met a suitable man. When Donahue got up to use the restroom on their honeymoon flight to Greece, a woman seated across from them saw the bride’s ring.
The woman enquired as to the actress’s marital status and if Thomas was who she claimed to be. The stranger questioned, “Why? “To which Thomas blushed and replied that her wedding day had actually been the day before. I’m really let down. Why would you enter into matrimony?”
“Marlo Thomas Faced Doubt: Did Her Independence Disappoint the Women Who Admired Her?”
She conquered her concerns, though, when her husband went back to his seat. Thomas acknowledged that over their ten years of marriage, they had experienced both good and difficult periods in their book.
But overcoming each obstacle together helped the couple become closer by fortifying their relationship and enabling them to come up with solutions that worked for both of them. Donahue was in Chicago filming his program at the time of their marriage, and his bride was an actress.
Because she and Donahue weren’t living in the same city full-time, one of Thomas’s aunts informed her that what she and Donahue were doing wasn’t marriage. But the actress discovered that everyone had a different definition of what marriage meant to them.
Donahue and Thomas went into additional detail about the “biggest challenges” they had as newlyweds in a joint interview conducted in August 2020. She clarified that, mostly, it was the fact that, occasionally, their romance had to be put on hold due to the kids.
Thomas found it somewhat difficult to adjust to life as a wife and stepmother after growing up with two dogs. “I was worried that they might be too overwhelmed by the steaminess in the other room,” she said. It also required adjustment for Donahue and his sons to eat meals as a family, as this was not something they did prior to meeting his bride.
He mentioned that he was able to strengthen his relationship with his children over dinners, and one of them even acknowledged that it was a good thing they were able to do it.
Even though the house was tidy, the kids nevertheless occasionally left messes behind. Thankfully, the lads supported Thomas’s decision to intervene once more and alter that conduct.
Taking on the Role of Stepmother
In a 2012 AARP interview, Thomas was questioned about the parenting principles she applied from her mother to her stepchildren. The celebrity disclosed that since her husband and his children already had a child, she made the decision not to attempt to be a typical “mother” to them.
Instead, she opted to be their friend, following the example set by Thomas’s mother, who had been a friend to her and her siblings during
She made friends with her husband’s children by applying the same technique to them. The actress claimed that her relationships with the brood from earlier were stronger now.
The celebrity acknowledged on her YouTube channel in 2012 that no one ever wanted to be a stepmother as they were usually portrayed negatively in children’s literature. The actor admitted that she was hesitant to accept the part.
She decided to be a decent person instead and spent time getting to know her stepsons. Donahue wrote in their book about how his wife spoke with the guys and came to know them as people, not just as a group.
The Key to Marlo Thomas and Phil Donahue’s Entire Marriage
Donahue and his wife celebrated 40 years of marriage in 2020! In an interview with Closer Weekly, Donahue observed that while society tends to focus on couples who divorce, enduring marriages often don’t get the recognition they deserve.
He and his spouse came to the conclusion that marriages that lasted were “strengthened by trust.” Thomas clarified that having faith in one another wasn’t enough; rather, what was important to one partner was important to the other. He also said, “You build trust when you realize that this person always has your back.”
To have a long-lasting marriage, Phil Donahue also advised wanting it. Looking back on her life, Thomas admitted that she would have settled to marry the television star over anyone else.