Let me tell you a story about a truly remarkable woman, Mary Tyler Moore. She lit up our screens for over five decades with her charm and wit, but behind the scenes, she faced a personal tragedy that changed her life forever. The Emmy-winning icon lost her only child, Richie Meeker, in 1980 at the heartbreakingly young age of 24. In the years that followed, Moore opened up about how she navigated her grief during one of the darkest periods of her life. Keep reading to learn more about this incredible woman and the legacy of her beloved son.
Meet Mary Tyler Moore's Only Child: Richie Meeker
Richie Meeker was the pride and joy of Mary Tyler Moore's life. Born on July 3, 1956, Richie arrived during Moore's first marriage to Richard Meeker, which lasted from 1955 to 1962. Moore, just 18 years old when they tied the knot, became pregnant only six weeks after their wedding. Life moved quickly for the young couple, but it wasn't long before their marriage came to an end. After her divorce, Moore found love again with her second husband, Grant Tinker, in 1962.
As Richie grew up, he followed his own path. He attended the University of Southern California and lived in a house with roommates near campus. At the time, he was working in the mailroom at CBS studios, a job that many aspiring actors and writers have held. Richie also had a passion for collecting guns, a hobby that, tragically, would play a role in his untimely death.
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The Tragic Accident That Took Richie Meeker's Life
On October 14, 1980, tragedy struck when Richie accidentally took his own life with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. It happened while he was handling a shotgun at home. His roommate, Judy Vasquez, witnessed the horrifying incident and described it in detail to The Washington Post. "He was loading and unloading the short-barreled gun when it went off," she recalled. "It was awful. He must have pulled the trigger. There was a big bang and he fell on the bed." The Los Angeles Coroner’s Office later ruled Richie's death an accident.
Mary Tyler Moore Reflects on the Loss of Her Son
In the years following Richie's death, Moore shared her thoughts and feelings about that devastating day. In her 1995 memoir, After All, she recounted the moment she received the devastating news. "The phone awakened me. It was Grant," she wrote. "'If you're standing, you should sit down … It's Richie. He's dead.'" Moore spread her son's ashes in the Owens River in California, a place that held special meaning for them both. "The water was clear and high as I knelt over it. I opened the container and emptied it into the rushing water," she wrote. "What was meant to be a prayer became an outraged demand. 'You take care of him,' I screamed at the sky." Moore passed away on January 25, 2017, at the age of 80, leaving behind her third husband, Dr. Robert Levine, whom she married in 1983.
