Kirstie Alley Adopted 2 Kids —They Were Protective of Her & Inspired Her to Stay Healthy

• Kirstie Alley died following a short battle with cancer. She was 71.
• Alley left behind two children she adopted several years ago, thinking she would never become a mother again.
• The kids were her primary support system - they accepted her, loved and supported her despite her health struggles.

Award-winning television star Kirstie Alley thought she would never be a mother until she was blessed with two children she adopted and adored.

The "Cheers" actress tried to conceive, but she had a miscarriage in 1990 while three months pregnant. At the time, Alley was married to her second husband, actor Parker Stevenson, whom she wed in 1983.

The Emmy Award winner candidly discussed her pregnancy loss in her 2015 book, revealing it took its toll on her well-being. She struggled to make peace with the fact that she had lost her baby and gained weight and convinced herself that she was still expecting even months after losing her unborn child. She said:

"When the baby was gone, I didn't get over it. [...] I was still fat, I was still grieving."

Alley would soon learn there was a very slim chance she would ever become a mom naturally. That said, she and her spouse opted for adoption.

Two years later, in 1992, the couple became first-time parents when they welcomed their first child, son William True Stevenson. Alley and the "Baywatch" alum expanded their family after welcoming their daughter, Lillie Stevenson, another two years later. In 1997, Parker and Alley divorced but continued to share custody of their kids.

Alley Raised Supportive Kids Who Made Her a Grandmother

Alley spoke proudly about her motherhood journey in an interview with People in 2006 and said one of her good qualities was being a mom. Though she raised her son and daughter away from the prying eyes of Hollywood, she could not stop raving about them in interviews. In 2006, the doting mom revealed her children were overly "protective" of her.

True and Lillie were also their mother's source of inspiration in getting back into shape. They always encouraged her to join them in the water whenever they were swimming.

With the support of her kids, Alley eventually regained her confidence and was brave enough to appear on the "Oprah Winfrey Show" in a bikini in 2006. It was her way of celebrating her weight loss journey, and she told the media mogul that it would not have happened if her kids had not supported her.

After shedding weight, the Kansas native became a first-time grandmother when her son welcomed his firstborn, Waylon Tripp Parker, in 2016.

The Golden Globe Award winner shared the exciting news on Twitter by sharing several photos of her new grandson and tweeting: "proud Gammy."

The "It Takes Two" star marked her first Christmas as a grandparent with then-six-month-old Waylon. She later divulged that she had a blast while celebrating the holiday.

And when True and his girlfriend worked for her for a few months, she spent more time with her grandchild and said the experience was "stupendous and exhilarating."

The TV star would be the first to hold the newborn every morning and show him the holiday decorations while pacing around with him and "singing to him."

The "Village Of The Damned" star also said it was a joy to witness her son being a parent himself. She lauded True and his significant other for being good parents and acknowledged that they were meant for it.

But True being a doting dad did not come as a surprise to his mother. The "Look Who's Talking" star revealed her son had always been good with kids. "He loves babies," said Alley.

True married his high school sweetheart when he was only seventeen. The pair walked down the aisle after dating for one year. Speaking ahead of the wedding in 2010, True's mom said he and his girlfriend were head over heels in love with each other, adding he treated her well.

Meanwhile, his sister also found love after she announced on social media that she was engaged to be married to her boyfriend, Chaffee Burkhart Graham.

Lillie described Graham as the perfect match for her, adding she could not wait to call him "my husband." She shared a picture of them as she flaunted her engagement ring.

Lillie became a first-time parent in May 2021 after welcoming her son, Ripp Woodrow Graham. She thanked her child for making her a mom, and a year later, she celebrated his first birthday with a gallery of his photos. The mother of one deemed her firstborn her "best friend" and expressed that her love for him grows daily.

The Death of Their Mother

Sadly, Lillie and True will have to face life knowing their mother will not see her grandkids grow up. Alley died after a short battle with cancer at 71.

Lillie and True announced the news of their beloved mother's death in a statement shared with the People, revealing the "Summer School" star took her last breath on December 5, 2022:

"We are sad to inform you that our incredible, fierce, and loving mother has passed away after a battle with cancer, only recently discovered."

Alley passed on with her loved ones by her side. According to her kids, she died a fighter and left them with the reminder to always be happy and excited for what's to come in the future.

True and Lillie commended their mother for being a good parent and grandparent: "As iconic as she was on screen, she was an even more amazing mother and grandmother," their statement read.

The siblings added that the "Drop Dead Gorgeous" star was passionate about life and her family. Alley reportedly had immense love for animals and took pleasure in being a creative person.

Keeping that in mind when thinking about her, the celebrated showbiz veteran's son and daughter said they are more determined to live their lives fully like their mom.