Carol Burnett, who is 90 years old, is still regarded as one of the greatest comedic icons of all time. She shares more about her amazing life and work as she gets closer to this significant milestone.
However, Burnett courageously admits in a recent interview that even after more than 20 years, the terrible loss of her daughter Carrie Hamilton still causes her great pain.
A Gifted Heritage
Carrie, the eldest of Burnett’s three kids from her previous marriage to Joe Hamilton, pursued a career in acting similar to her mother’s. Her significant television credits include the first national tour of the musical Rent, as well as parts in the television series Fame, The X-Files, and Murder, She Wrote. Their relationship suffered as a result of Carrie’s teenage drug use, even though they both had a strong love for the arts. Burnett experienced severe heartbreak as a result.
“In 2020, my daughter Carrie became involved with drugs,” Burnett disclosed to AARP. Don’t try to be their best buddy in that circumstance. She detested me to her core when we got her into a third treatment facility! To allow people to despise you, you must love them enough.
Burnett was as hard on herself, questioning whether there was anything she could have done to avoid the situation. “I had the thought… Was there something that I ought to have noticed, understood, or been able to see? What, you know, did I miss? In 2002, she asked in an interview with ABC News, “Were I not strong enough?”
Thankfully, Carrie was able to sober up by the time she was eighteen, and their relationship became even closer. For the following twenty years, Burnett and her daughter were devoted to each other.
Misfortune Occurs
Before tragedy hit, Carrie’s career was thriving and her bond with her mother was at an all-time high. Carrie was given a lung cancer diagnosis in 2001; the disease eventually moved to her brain.
A Spirit That Remains Unwavering
Carrie dealt with her sickness with an amazing sense of humor. “Carrie had a spirit about her, all through her treatments,” Burnett told ABC News. mom daughter’s motto, “Every day I wake up and decide, today I’m going to love my life,” struck a profound chord with mom. Burnett is still motivated by Carrie’s tenacity today.
As Burnett thought back on Carrie’s illness, he remembered a discussion they had during one of her hospital stays. A nurse observed that Carrie had a way of making everyone feel better. Carrie gave a straightforward response when asked about her constant happiness: “Every day I wake up and decide.”
Decide is the essential word, Burnett stressed. “I tell myself that every morning.”
Honoring Life at Ninety
On April 26, Burnett will turn 90 years old. Despite the immense loss she went through 21 years ago, Burnett is still strong. Her extraordinary ability has won her multiple lifetime achievement awards, such as the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award and the esteemed Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. The “Carol Burnett Award,” the Golden Globes’ television lifetime achievement honor, is really named after her.
As she reflects on her incredible experience, Burnett is filled with gratitude and amazement. She acknowledges, “I can’t wrap my head around it.” “I’m amazed, but I still feel like I’m about eleven.” It passed by quickly. That being said, I’m content since I have all of my body parts: my hips, knees, and head.
There are no words to describe the pain of losing a child, and Carol Burnett’s unwavering love for her daughter Carrie is apparent. The legendary comedian of comedy continues to be a source of inspiration and courage in spite of this heartbreaking loss. Let’s honor Carol Burnett and hope she has a happy and significant 90th birthday!
