We all know that the fall from superstardom to rock bottom can happen quickly, especially if you’re in Hollywood. In the entertainment industry, things move very fast and when the facade cracks, it can be hard to pick up the pieces.
Not that long ago, fitness model Loni Willison regularly walked the red carpet with her famous husband, the Baywatch star Jeremy Jackson.
Sadly, the former bombshell blonde is now homeless and struggles with significant personal issues. Recent images of her have shocked many – but according to herself, she doesn’t want any help.
”I’m doing just fine. I don’t want anyone to help me,” she told The Sun.
I think most of us remember Hobie from Baywatch. He was the one who played David Hasselhoff’s mischievous yet lovable on-screen son. But few may be aware of his tumultuous life after the series ended and his turbulent marriage to Loni Willison.
Loni Willison is a former glamorous swimsuit model, and around ten years ago, she was often seen on red carpets with her TV hunk husband, Jeremy Jackson. Loni lived a glamorous life, appeared on many covers, and had the world at her feet.
But her and Jackson’s breakup almost a decade ago set her on a spiraling downward path. She disappeared for a period of two years before she was eventually discovered living on the streets.
According to the New York Post, Willison, 39, has been living in homeless encampments around California for almost seven years and is most commonly seen towing around a shopping cart filled with her possessions.
It was in 2016 that the former cover girl was first sighted on the streets of Los Angeles. She and Jeremy Jackson divorced in 2014 after two years of marriage, and Loni has been reportedly struggling with mental health issues and substance abuse problems ever since.
Unfortunately, the former fitness model became addicted to crystal meth while living on the streets. The once radiant, blonde beauty cuts a shadow of her former self. Pictures taken in May 2023 showed Loni looking haggard and gaunt, with missing teeth and short hair.
Speaking with The Sun in 2020, Willison revealed that she intentionally tries to appear as destitute as possible to avoid becoming a target of sexual abuse in the rough street environment. In 2020, she was spotted rummaging through trash bins near Venice Beach, just a few yards away from luxurious celebrity mansions, including the £5 million residence of Ben Affleck.
She says that her deteriorated life situation began with her abusive ex-husband, Jeremy Jackson. The former model and fitness enthusiast endured a tumultuous end to her marriage with the Californa-based actor.
The pair engaged in a drunken fight that resulted in Jackson allegedly trying to strangle Willison, leaving her with two broken ribs and injured neck and scratches to her face and body.
Willison also revealed she was in a “very bad place” following the divorce. She started living rough after losing her job as a plastic surgeon’s assistant.
“I couldn’t work out or take on any modeling jobs,” she said.
Recently, Loni revealed that she has no contact with her ex-husband and that she doesn’t want any help from her friends.
As per the New York Post, Larry Marinelli, a drug rehab specialist who owns a sober living home, offered Willison help at no cost, but the 39-year-old turned down the treatment and returned to the streets less than 24 hours later.
“I haven’t got a cell phone. I’ve got food and I’ve got a place to sleep,” she said. “I get money here and there and there’s food in the bins and near the stores. There’s lots here.”
