According to Michael Landon's daughter, his health was far from his number one priority.
The actor, who died of pancreatic cancer at age 54, was a stubborn man, Leslie Landon Matthews said in a new interview with Fox News. And that stubbornness influenced the way he thought about and approached his health, she said.
Leslie, who starred with her late father in “Little House on the Prairie,” told the outlet, “One thing that I know was part of my dad's personality was his stubbornness. I don't think taking care of his health was a priority for him.”
“I think he put it aside,” she added.
After it was discovered in 1991 that Landon's cancer had spread to his liver, the actor returned to his Malibu ranch with his third wife, Cindy, where he switched to a vegetarian diet and began a program of vitamins, enzymes and acupuncture.
Leslie Landon Matthews with her father, Michael Landon, in 1976.
Michael Ochs Archives/Getty
He also underwent chemotherapy and an experimental treatment with anti-cancer drugs.
The actor then passed away in July 1991, just three months after announcing his diagnosis and 10 months after escorting Leslie down the aisle.
But before his cancer diagnosis, Michael's family had to fight tooth and nail to get him to the doctor's office, Leslie told Fox News.
“My mother would often talk about taking him for check-ups,” she said, adding that when her son actually did get a check-up, “it was always a struggle.”
“So by the time my dad started having uncontrollable stomach pains, he was on vacation with my stepmother and brother. … He'd come home early from Utah to see a doctor,” she continued. “He couldn't ignore it any longer.”
When Michael could no longer put off his declining health, he decided to “hold on to hope”, Leslie said.
“I think deep down he knew he wasn't going to survive this particular cancer,” she continued, adding, “And he really, really, really tried to beat it, especially because he still had little kids to raise.”
Michael Landon in 1990.
Ron Galella Collection (via Getty)
Leslie also said her late father would tell people going through similar health battles to “respect those who are going through this battle,” “remain hopeful,” and “cherish your family as much as you can.”
“I think it's really important to have a good attitude,” she added. “My dad carried that to the end.”
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Leslie also speculated how her father would feel about his reluctance to prioritise his health if he were still alive.
“If my father were alive today, I think he would say, 'Oh, I screwed up. I should have taken better care of my health and had a proper medical check-up every year,'” the former actress told the outlet.
But she also understands why he didn't: “If you're a carer, you're looking after the children and the home.” [do] “We get busy, we get distracted,” she says, “and of course our No. 1 priority is family, so it's really easy to put our health on the back burner.”
“You need to set up a schedule. [your checkups] Make it a priority like anything else in life,” Leslie added.
