Suzanne Somers Lost Virginity & Got Pregnant — She Made One Promise to Son & Raised Him as a Single Mom

Suzanne Somers thought her dream to become an actress and singer was over when she fell pregnant at 18. The actress dropped out of college and married her child's father but decided to turn her life around after making one big promise to her son.

Suzanne Somers was an all-round entertainer with a talent for singing, acting, writing, and entrepreneurship skills. However, before becoming a Hollywood sensation, Somers thought her life had reached a standstill when she fell pregnant at 18.

Life was going well for Somers as she was hitting milestones that people in her family had never reached. She was the first to get a music scholarship and attend a college of her choice.

The singer remembered the moment that made her believe she would have a bright future. As a teenager, her biggest role was playing Adelaide in "Guys and Dolls" in high school.

Someone who had been in the audience during her performance was a famous radio personality named Walter Winchell. At the end of the show, he approached Somers and said, "You're going someplace, sister."

At that moment, Somers felt like the world was her oyster. But as she prepared to face motherhood, she started to believe that she had lost all her talent and skills.

The actress confessed that attending a girl's Catholic college was her biggest mistake. She fell pregnant just after losing her virginity and felt like she had thrown all her dreams out the window.

Somers came from a small town, so her options for handling this life change were limited. She said she had to marry the child's father, but deep down, the actress knew she did not want to. She even told her mother to choose a dress that was not too white.

In addition to walking down the aisle with someone she did not want to marry, she also hated her outfit. After leaving college, the actress got a job as an extra, which she described as "the lowest rung on the whole showbiz totem pole." She earned $32 a day, and that was how she survived for a while.

Making a Promise To Her Son

Although Somers looked back at her early pregnancy as a hurdle that she came out of stronger and better, she was still very honest with her son about how difficult it was.

In an interview, the actress confessed that she did not want a baby at 18 and was open about it with her son, Bruce. "I mean at 18, who wants to have a baby – I didn’t. I’ve been very honest with my son about that and said, 'Who wants a baby at 18? I didn’t know you,'” she shared.

Somers did not know how her life would turn out, and despite all the doubts she had about becoming a young mother, she knew she would work hard for her and her son the minute she held him.

The then teenage mother remembered holding her baby after giving birth and saying, "I promise that I am going to make a good life for you." She did not know how, but Somers figured it out. "It was just me and my son against the world," she added.

After welcoming Bruce, she was on a mission to change her life. She decided to divorce his father after a year of marriage. Her son is now a grown and responsible man with his own family.

Despite Somers' fears, she was proud of the man she raised. The proud mother expressed, "My son never got into drugs; he never got into alcohol. I believe that we're hard-wired, and when I had my baby, I knew I was going to make it right, and I had the wisdom to know that part."

The "Three's Company" star was grateful for the amazing father her son grew up to be, not to mention being a successful businessman and a great husband. Therefore, when asked what her biggest accomplishment was, Somers said it was watching her son grow because it felt like she had done something right.

Her motherhood journey will forever be filled with a lot of pride. The actress looked back at it again when she wished her son a happy birthday. It was through him that she watched all her hard work pay off. Somers proudly ended her emotional birthday message with the words:

"He has that magical quality we call "it." I am a proud mother, and I wish Bruce the most wonderful day today. I love you, my darling son, with all my heart."

Finding Love and Blending Families

After divorcing the father of her child, Somers met Alan Hamel and instantly fell in love. From the minute he walked into the ABC studios she was working at, her knees felt weak, something she had never experienced.

Their connection was so strong that it felt like they had met before. Somers would meet up with him at his hotel, knowing that her mother would disapprove. But she did not care because she would have done anything to go on a date with Hamel.

The couple might have fallen in love at first sight, but they faced challenges when blending their families. Somers confessed that their children from previous relationships were not as enthusiastic about their union as they were.

The "Step by Step" star said when she and Bruce moved in with Hamel and his two children, it was "step-family hell." The couple had to figure out how to live together harmoniously, but they did not have much information since blending families was not as common during their time.

Somers reckoned that one of the major problems was that she and Hamel had different parenting styles. When she moved in, she introduced house rules. "I had a set of rules — no feet on the furniture, don't borrow our clothes without asking, knock before entering — and Alan didn't," she explained.

Things might have been tough for them as a family, but they never gave up. The couple also dealt with the pressure from their ex-partners, but they kept their eyes on the goal of getting along as a family.

Hamel and Somers started seeing positive changes when they became a team. The two understood that healing took time, and as a family, they addressed all their issues in therapy.

When they finally reached the other side, the couple wass extremely proud of their family and how far they had come. Somers was now a grandmother of six and said it was like "falling in love all over again."

Looking at their growing blended family felt like a success for Somers, especially when looking back at their rollercoaster journey. Her husband also opened up about their life together.

He remembered how much they used to fight after they got married, but once they found their groove, their marriage became blissful. Hamel said he did not believe they had argued in the last 40 years and wished to live another 40 years with his wife.

Sadly, Somers died on Monday, 15 October 2023, surrounded by her beloved son, husband, and the rest of her immediate family. The actress lost her battle with breast cancer just a day before her 77th birthday. She had been fighting the disease for 23 years.

On her birthday, her family came together to celebrate her life and thank her fans for the constant support they have shown for the multi-talented actress.