After Annette Funicello Was Diagnosed With Multiple Sclerosis, Her Husband Promised To 'Take Care' Of Her

Apr 09, 2022 by apost team

Annette Funicello is best remembered for being an actress and a singer. She first rose to fame as a child star after starting to perform at the young age of 12. She had been born on Oct. 22, 1942, in Utica, New York, but her family moved across the country to Southern California when Funicello was just four years old.

Funicello was discovered by Walt Disney when she performed as the leading character in her "Swan Lake" dance recital and from there found herself being cast in what would become a highly popular show. Her prominence further developed by becoming one of the most popular Mouseketeers on the original run of "Mickey Mouse Club." The show was later revived multiple times and featured several people who later went on to become some of the world's biggest names in the entertainment industry, such as Christina Aguilera and Britney Spears.

Once she entered her teenage years, Funicello began finding more and more success and launched her career as a pop singer. She also found herself in the world of film and starred in many movies over the course of her career, including the successful "Beach Party" film genre alongside fellow co-star Frankie Avalon.

However, Funicello encountered some hardships over the course of her life. She was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1987 and later died from the disease in 2013. Through it all, her second husband, Glen Holt, stayed by her side, having married her just the year before Funicello received her diagnosis. Read on to learn more about the couple's beautiful bond.

There's no doubt that Funicello was a star at every stage of her life. She was talented in many areas and continued to develop her skills as the years progressed. The actress and singer found first success early on with "Mickey Mouse Club" before ultimately finding her footing in the film industry with "Beach Party" in 1963. Afterward, she and co-star Avalon went on to star in more films together in the film series. 

The established actress also had her own television serial called "Walt Disney Presents: Annette." She even performed with The Beach Boys for the 1965 movie "The Monkey's Uncle."

One of the last projects she was a part of prior to her multiple sclerosis diagnosis in 1987 was "Back to the Beach," which reunited her once again with Avalon. They even performed live together. Funicello was just 45 years old at the time of her diagnosis and kept it out of the public eye for five years. According to the Guardian, there had been rumors about her difficulty in walking, and Funicello wanted to clear the air. Mayo Clinic states that multiple sclerosis is a potentially disabling disease of the brain and spinal cord.

Along the way, Funicello also searched for love. She was first married to a man named Jack Gilardi from 1965 to 1981. Together, they had three children: Gina, Jack Jr. and Jason. A few years after their divorce, Funicello found love again and married a California harness racing horse breeder and trainer named Glen Holt in 1986. They were married up until Funicello's death in 2013.

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According to CTV, Funicello had a severe form of multiple sclerosis and even lost her ability to walk, first relying on a cane and then a wheelchair, and later also lost the ability to speak. She also needed a feeding tube. 

Holt did everything in his power to help Funicello during her health struggles. "When she got diagnosed… I told her, 'I will take care of you and I'll do everything I can,'" Holt said. Even though he was in his 80s at the time, Holt was ready to become his wife's caretaker.

"She said if we could find something that could help me, maybe we could help many many other people," Holt said. As the years went by, each treatment seemed to be ineffective, but Holt and Funicello kept searching for something that would work.

Back in 1993, Funicello opened the Annette Funicello Fund for Neurological Disorders. On the website, she is quoted to have said, "I know there's a reason for this and it's to help others. I'm gonna work so hard… we're going to find a solution to this one day… I know that we are."

Sadly, Funicello died at the age of 70 from complications due to multiple sclerosis, according to The Walt Disney Company. The company, which was responsible for launching the actress' career when she was just 12 years old, released a statement saying:

"Annette was and always will be a cherished member of the Disney family, synonymous with the word Mouseketeer, and a true Disney Legend. She will forever hold a place in our hearts as one of Walt Disney's brightest stars."

What do you think about Annette Funicello's legacy? Did you know about how her husband helped her during her final years? Let us know, and be sure to send this to your loved ones.