Delta Burke Was Once Repeatedly Seen in Wheelchair Escorted by Spouse of 33 Years — He Adores Her 'No Matter What'

• Despite his friends' initial disapproval, Delta Burke and Gerald McRaney had a 33-year happy marriage after he proposed on the second date.

• The couple shares a mutual love and support "no matter what."

• Burke and McRaney renewed their vows while "embrac[ing] each other's insanity."

In 1987, Delta Burke attended the Primetime Emmy Awards accompanied by Gerald McRaney. The pair had only begun dating recently, and according to a 2017 People magazine interview, things moved quickly between the duo.

Burke told the publication that McRaney proposed to her on their second date! Back then, the actress was starting the second season of "Designing Women" after having met the actor during a guest appearance.

The pair got to know each other after she starred on McRaney's show, "Simon & Simon." McRaney told People he proposed because he didn't want Burke to get away because he had competition.

Other people asked the actress out on dates, and McRaney wanted to make his stamp quickly. Although his friends were against the union, telling him he shouldn't marry an actress, the star challenged them, asking, "Why not?"

He felt a fellow actor understood the "insanity" of the industry and that Burke got it. When he was on location with a shoot, he didn't have to call her until 2 a.m., but it wasn't a big deal because she understood the work stresses.

In 1989, the two stars tied the knot, and it was McRaney's third one while it was the first for Burke. The couple became known for their union's support throughout their years together.

The Marriage Ups and Downs Delta and Gerald Endured

In 2018, Burke shared how she'd struggled with her weight when she was a beauty queen in her 20s, using anything she could find to stay thin. The star had hypoglycemia and recalled being warned to be careful because it could develop into diabetes.

At the time, Burke didn't understand despite the disease running in her family. The actress believed that the weight she gained while filming "Designing Women" was what triggered her type 2 diabetes diagnosis.

By 1991, when she left the show, the star weighed 215 pounds. Burke started exercising and dieting and began losing weight, but it was a slow process until she realized her mindset also had to change, with her recalling:

"I was telling myself that I was a bad person because I couldn't lose the weight fast enough."

Speaking to EatingWell, the actress said she chose to stop degrading herself and instead gave herself credit for maintaining her weight. Another challenge the couple faced was in the mid-2000s when Burke lived with her breast cancer survivor mother.

She credited her husband for his assistance describing him as having been "great" as she battled her demons. The actress said no matter how fat she got, her husband didn't care and advised her on what to eat and do.

Burke said the actor liked giving her shots because it made him feel like he cared for her. Since she didn't like exercising, the actress and her husband walked together instead, and at the time, she said her mother and husband were both healthy.

The star shared how good she felt and that she'd continue improving. McRaney's wife also got criticized about her weight in public, but he loved her no matter what after being married for 25 years in 2014, with Burke stating:

"He loved me when I got as big as a house. He loved me when I was a blonde. He didn't tell me he hated it until I went back to brunette."

The actress said her husband loved her through ups and downs and still thought her body looked great even though she jokingly didn't believe it did! Another struggle the couple overcame together was Burke's depression.

In 1974, the actress described her struggle with the disease as "lifelong" as she'd started battling it as a teenager. Years later, in 2008, she revealed she was opening up about it to remove the stigma it held.

Burke's struggle with depression sometimes saw her having panic attacks on set. She recalled her body going into spasms and being out of control during rehearsals while wailing like an animal.

Her co-star Meshach Taylor would hold Burke and then carry her back to her room while she worried her private struggles would become public. She feared the episodes occurring in front of an audience, but the cast was supportive.

In June 2009, Extra reported how the actress arrived at a Los Angeles airport in a wheelchair, confirming her encounter with an accident in a hotel bathroom. She recalled feeling herself falling and trying to avoid hitting her head on a toilet because she didn't want it to be mentioned in her obituary!

The star ended up with an injured back, and showing how her humor hadn't depleted, she joked about posing like Elizabeth Taylor before noting how the media got her without any makeup. The second time she was seen in a wheelchair was in 2015, and despite it all, McRaney remained by her side.

While the actor has supported his wife through numerous trials, Burke also had the pleasure of returning the favor several times. McRaney has been outspoken about how his wife has been there for him through thick and thin.

How Delta Returned the Supportive Favor to Her Husband

In 2017, Burke told People that she'd been glad to support her husband over the years. One such moment was when McRaney, a cancer survivor, got acclaim for his role as a physician in the series "This Is Us."

The actress said it was a big deal because she'd wanted him to be nominated for an Emmy Award for years! She felt he deserved the award, and his being acknowledged and noticed that year made her want to cry!

She [Delta Burke] revealed how they got each other and how crazy they both were!

During the award ceremony, Burke did cry as her husband's victory was announced. While showing off his new trophy in the press room, McRaney honored his loving wife, saying to People:

"As a man, I've had the love of the finest woman I can possibly imagine."

He said as an actor when she told him something was good; he accepted that he'd done well because he understood that Burke knew what she was talking about. However, when other people said it was "nice," he just appreciated their compliments.

McRaney said when his wife made her comments, he knew she was being real because she was also honest when he sucked. He described their partnership as good, with the actress helping him toe the line.

Since their marriage, McRaney and Burke have been going strong in their partnership. The couple was still in love and together in 2022, and even once found a particular way to commemorate their union.

Going Strong and Renewing Their Vows

After being together for over three decades, in 2022, Burke and her husband were still devoted. After finishing work, the actor returned home to his wife and described the moment as "fun."

She revealed how they got each other and how crazy they both were! The actor also confessed to People that they'd once renewed their marriage vows, and one of the things his wife wrote was that they embraced each other's insanity, stating:

"Not just accept it – embrace it."

Burke and McRaney generally stayed out of the media, but in September 2022, they were spotted on a rare outing in Los Angeles. In recent years the actress has retreated from the limelight while her husband continued acting here and there.

He's starred in "Filthy Rich," "NCIS: Los Angeles," and " House of Cards." The two stars were based in Los Angeles, and although they'd been married for 33 years that year, the duo had no children.