The late Suzanne Somers and husband Alan Hamel seemingly had a love story straight out of a Hollywood movie.
Somers and Hamel often spoke highly of their 45-year marriage, which lasted until the “Step by Step” star died Sunday, just one day before her 77th birthday.
In January 2021, Somers gushed to Us Weekly, “We give each other a lot of attention. That seems simple, but you’d be amazed at how many couples don’t remember to give one another a lot of attention.”
The “Three’s Company” alum continued, “It’s not, like, a chore for us. I love to hug him and rub his hair. He tells me I’m beautiful all the time and we hold hands while we sleep. It’s the most beautiful part of my life.”
Here’s a look at the relationship between Somers and Hamel, which got off to a rocky start nearly 55 years ago.
Started dating in 1969
Somers and Hamel met in 1969 when he hosted the game show “The Anniversary Game,” and she was a prize model.
Hamel was already married, to Marilyn Hamel, and the pair engaged in an affair. Somers became pregnant by him and had an abortion.
“Back then I was lying, manipulating, hiding… I blamed myself for everything,” Somers told the Tampa Bay Times in 1992.
Married in 1977
The pair married nearly a decade later, in 1977.
It was Somers’ second marriage. She was married to Bruce Somers from 1965-68. They had a son, Bruce Jr., in November 1965.
Hamel was married to Marilyn from 1958 to 1971. They had son Stephen and daughter Leslie.
Business partners in 1990
Somers and Hamel invested in the ThighMaster in 1990, selling more than 10 million fitness devices thanks to Somers’ enthusiastic infomercials.
“We had partners — 50/50 — and they got drunk on money when it all started selling,” she explained on the “Hollywood Raw” podcast last year. “They overspent to the point where they could no longer afford to be in their side of the business, so we bought them out. We have 100%.”
“Anybody can do it,” she added. “People are always calling me and wanting to know, ‘How do I this?’ You can’t decide to make money. You have to have a passion about whatever you’re selling. It has to be a fit. I can’t sell baseball bats. But I wanted to keep my legs looking great for those Manolo Blahnik shoes. So there was a weird, kind of strange, passion there.”
Sex headlines in 2013
The couple was never shy about their amazing sex life.
During an appearance on “The Talk” in 2013, Somers claimed the pair had sex at least twice a day.
“He’s on hormones, and I’m on hormones,” she shared. “I’m going to be so sorry I said that. … What is it about men at 4 in the morning? There’s some level at 4 in the morning, and then I’m really awake around 8 or so. We have busy mornings.”
Secrets to a happy marriage in 2021
Somers revealed the secrets to her long-lasting marriage to Us Weekly in 2021, emphasizing the importance of frequent date nights.
“We date every night. I think dates are really important, especially [in] long-term marriages,” she stated.
“So, here’s a date — it’s 5 o’clock and that’s when I stop working and he stops working, or if I do a Facebook Live show, I go to work from 5 to 6. But on the nights that I don’t do Facebook Live, we meet at Big Al’s bar — that’s the bar at our house — and he pours me a stiff tequila of clear because clear has little to no sugar and a lot of ice.”
“We sip tequila, listen to music, sometimes we dance. … It’s just what we do,” Somers added.
Final photo together in 2023
Somers and Hamel would be photographed together for the last time, on July 31.
“Since I have been taking time off from work, many of you have asked for more details about my health,” she captioned a snap on Instagram of the couple looking effortlessly in love. “As you know, I had breast cancer two decades ago, and every now and then it pops up again, and I continue to bat it down.”
“I have used the best alternative and conventional treatments to combat it. This is not new territory for me. I know how to put on my battle gear and I’m a fighter. Alan has been by my side every step of the way.”
Somers concluded by thanking her family for their continued support in the heartbreaking post.
Somers’ death in 2023
The couple were parted by death when Somers passed on Oct. 15 after a decades-long cancer battle.
Her beloved Hamel read a love letter to her the night before her death before sharing it with news outlets.
Hamel said “love” doesn’t adequately describe his feelings for Somers.
“It’s not even a fraction of a fraction of a fraction. Unconditional love does not do it. I’ll take a bullet for you doesn’t do it. I weep when I think about my feelings for you. Feelings … That’s getting close, but not all the way,” he lamented.
Hamel closed his letter by saying “there are no words,” “actions,” “promises,” or “declarations” to illustrate their bond.
“So I will call it, ‘Us,’ he said. “Uniquely, magically, indescribably wonderful ‘Us.’”
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