Ted Danson Is a 'Present' Grandpa Thanks to Wife of 27 Years Who Brought 'Lifesaver' Care into His Life

When Ted Danson met his future wife, they thought they couldn't be in a relationship and remained friends. However, after tying the knot, they believed their marriage was "heaven," and the actor said his wife gave him life-saving care, and now he's a grandfather who uses hearing aids.

Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen first met in 1983 when he auditioned for the "Cross Creek" movie and didn't get the part of playing her husband. At the time, the two stars were both married to other people.

In 1993, the duo were cast in "Pontiac Moon," and they'd decided they didn't want to be in relationships anymore. Ted had just finalized his divorce from his second wife, Casey Coates, and gotten out of a public relationship with Whoopi Goldberg.

Steenburgen was also divorced from her actor-husband, Malcolm McDowell. Speaking to People magazine in 2021, Ted revealed how he and the actress progressed, recalling:

"We both said the same phrase to ourselves, which was: 'Obviously we cannot be in a relationship,' I could ruin anything. I'm not relationship material."

Steenburgen also shared her initial thoughts about Ted, saying, "that dude seems kind of complicated," but they couldn't deny they were attracted to each other. The actress recalled how she wasn't ready for a relationship.

The duo compromised by continuing to work together and becoming better friends. Unfortunately, fate had bigger plans for them, and it took one trip for their relationship to progress into something romantic.

When Ted took them on a picnic and canoe trip to Mendocino, California, they realized they were meant for each other. The star described that moment as "magical" and said they came back in love as he was already smitten.

Ted and Mary's Long-Standing and Loving Marriage

In January 2021, Ted and his wife had been married for 25 years, and he had the sweetest things to say about her. Speaking to Entertainment Tonight (ET), the actor updated the public about his relationship, stating:

"I'm in love. We're in love. That handles a lot. We make each other laugh. I admire her. If I could be a woman, I'd want to be her."

Showing how much he loved his wife, Ted said he wanted Mary in his life for "as long as possible." He also noted how he knew there would be difficulties, but he wanted to "experience love in all those moments."

The actress was equally in love with her husband and shared how she didn't want to come off corny but that she would "sign up for a 100 more lifetimes" with Ted! Mary revealed how their love still burnt strong all those years.

She shared how "no hollow" was in her heart where she didn't love her husband or doubted their love. The actress explained that there wasn't a "secret place" where they weren't supposed to spend their lives together.

According to AARP, in September 2017, the best way to describe Ted's relationship with Mary was "creative passion." The star said he liked the way his wife smiled and laughed and her willingness to agree to jump off life's "tall buildings," stating:

"I love her sense of fairness and right and wrong. And I don't think you're supposed to say this when you're almost 70, but she's very sexy."

In July 2017, the couple had been married for almost 22 years when Ted told Us Weekly that he was "madly in love" with his wife. He also described her as a "remarkable human being" and said he was blessed.

The "Cheers" actor said the feeling was "like heaven on Earth" if he were to pass away, he would say he knew what it was like to love and be loved. Being together for so long meant the couple were there for each other when they suffered from health issues, and they also got to celebrate being grandparents as a unit.

Ted's Health Issues and Becoming a Grandparent with His Wife

In March 2022, Express revealed that Ted was living with arthritis when he started or ended a new job; he'd suffer from a hip that would be "killing" him. His back would also be "hurting."

Although there wasn't a cure for the illness, there were ways to help the condition to slow down. Most people went to treatment centers, took medication like steroids, did physiotherapy, or had surgery.

However, the first time he [Ted Danson] started using aids and farted, he realized how wrong he'd been, was embarrassed and apologized!

However, the actor, open about his struggles with the ailment, chose a different method. Since being introduced to meditation in 1995 by his wife, a treatment that he called a "lifesaver," he's used it to manage his condition.

"The Good Place" actor explained that anytime a person was present in their body and less in their mind, they were more able to be "real" with others. Ted said he could be present with his granddaughters and his wife, and be "real, be loving, be present."

In May 2022, the now 75-year-old star shared how he was using hearing aids to hear. While on "The Kelly Clarkson Show," he shared how they'd changed his life, and he loved them because they were "brilliant."

Mary's husband of 27 years in 2022 said he could now hear things like when he broke wind, thinking it was silent! Ted hilariously revealed that his wife would scold him, saying people could hear when he did that before having aids.

However, being stubborn, the actor would brush his wife's warning off. Instead, he insisted that people around him couldn't hear when he broke wind and that Mary exaggerated.

However, the first time he started using aids and farted, he realized how wrong he'd been, was embarrassed, and apologized! In late 2020, Ted and his wife were grandparents, with him having three step-grandchildren.

The "Mr. Mayor" star's wife's daughter, Lilly McDowell, married Charles Walton in 2010. Together they had three children, Clementine, Goldie, and Vera, and the former's birth inspired Ted's daughter Kate to become a doula.