Ricky Nelson's Son Called Mom 'Dragon' Who Didn't Let Him See Family — Uncle Mark Harmon Came to Rescue

Following Ricky Nelson and Kristin Harmon's split, their son's life fell apart. Kristin ended up in a feud with her brother, Mark, who wanted custody of Sam because of her incapacity to care for him properly.

When American singer Ricky Nelson died, his son, Sam, was left alone with his mother, Kristin Harmon. At that time, Kristin was in an unstable position, struggling with drug addiction. Her brother, Mark, stepped in to help and tried to get custody of Sam while Kristin checked in rehab.

However, Mark's decision was met with restraint from his sister and resulted in a family feud. Years later, the Harmon found themselves working things out and agreeing to seek professional help.

Now, Sam has managed to restore his family's legacy by bringing their famous show back to the screens. However, it has taken him a long time and much effort over the years.

Kristin and Ricky's Marriage

Kristin met Ricky, the son of superstars Ozzie and Harriet, at 12 years old. At that time, he starred in their family sitcom, "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet." Falling in love with Ricky came as a breeze, and when she turned 18 in 1963, the pair tied the knot.

Six months later, the couple welcomed their first child, Tracy, who appeared in "Yours, Mine, and Ours" and starred in "The Father Dowling Mysteries." In 1967, Kristin gave birth to their second and third child, twins Gunnar and Matthew.

Their fourth and last child, Sam, came in 1974. For some time, Kristin and Ricky lived happily with their children but eventually caught up in a partying lifestyle. "We were hippie rock 'n' rollers," Kristin said in the '80s, "We did what everyone else was doing all those years."

When their marriage became shaky, Kristin tried to be "one of the guys" and involved herself with substances, but she told her family as it became a problem. Sadly, Kristin and Ricky ended their marriage in 1980. Kristin filed for divorce and was initially granted custody of their kids.

Eventually, Ricky gave $4,000 a month in child support and received joint custody. Before their divorce was finalized in 1982, there were accusations of substance abuse between the couple.

At that time, Kristin took a job as an assistant casting director. Her sister, Kelly, would care for Sam every afternoon until the young boy lived with their parents for 18 months.

Ricky Nelson's Death

Sadly, in 1985, Ricky tragically died in a plane crash along with his fiancée, Helen Blair. When it went down, the aircraft was bound for Love Field, Dallas. There have been different discussions about the cause of the crash, including a fire that began in the cockpit.

Eventually, the court awarded Mark custody of Sam, while Kristin had a restraining order 200 yards away from her brother's home and Pam's work.

According to federal investigators' suspicion, the fire was ignited because of substance abuse on the plane. Preliminary reports indicated the singer's body had traces of unmetabolized substances.

According to the pilot and co-pilot, who are both survivors, a fire began in the passenger cabin. They tried to land the plane as soon as they learned of the hazard. Neither of the two had traces of alcohol or drugs in their bloodstream.

After several investigations, the National Safety Board investigators ruled out drugs as the cause of the fire. However, the initial cause could not be determined.

Kristin's Addiction Continues

Following Ricky's death, Kristin's brother, Mark, urged her to enter rehabilitation for her addiction. She once shared:

“Nobody but my brother could have talked me into this because I trusted him. A voice inside my head said, 'For once in your life, let somebody help you.'”

However, after her stay in rehab, Kristin found out that Mark and his wife, Pam, sought custody of Sam because of Kristin's substance dependency. Sam was 12 at that time.

Sam portrayed his mother as a scary woman and even compared her to a "dragon who wouldn't let him see his other siblings or family members." Sam found comfort and security staying with Mark and Pam while his mom was in rehab. Sam's doctor, Gary Chase, revealed what the boy told him:

“It's scary to be around someone on drugs.”

In three interviews, he also revealed that Sam told him that he was "made angry by arguments from his mother induced by mood swings from her taking drugs. At times [Kristin] would be happy or asleep or real mad or on his case about something."

Eventually, the court awarded Mark custody of Sam, while Kristin had a restraining order 200 yards away from her brother's home and Pam's work. The family feud continued alongside court hearings and accusations.

One day, Mark told Kristin's lawyer that they no longer wanted the issue to persist. "Too much blood has been spilled," he said. Mark and Kristin later worked out an agreement where she was given custody of Sam.

Mark, on the other hand, was granted visitation rights. Both also agreed to get professional help from a family therapist.

Sam Grew Up Restoring the Family Legacy

Sam would later graduate from Boston College with a degree in psychology and restore the relationship he once had with his mother. In a 2016 interview, Sam said:

“As you get older, things that were important aren't important anymore. Problems aren't problems anymore. You work through them, or you don't. But for the most part, you hope to.”

Sam inherited his father's musical talents and interned at MCA Records. He became a lead vocalist and songwriter for the band H is Orange. He has also spent years restoring his family's legacy by trying to get their show, "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet" back on the screens. He said:

"I have spent the last 12 years of my life... working to restore and protect my family’s television show, 'The Adventures Of Ozzie And Harriet.'"

He is proud of his efforts and revealed that he had the chance to win a Saturn Award as he had been nominated for his efforts, which he is proud of. He has also started a Kickstarter profile to help raise the funds needed for the show.