Anna Nicole Smith and her ex-boyfriend, photographer Larry Birkhead, met briefly at the Kentucky Derby in 2003. But the couple would not marry until a year later, in 2004.
Several years later, during a 2020 interview, Birkhead freely acknowledged their relationship, revealing that he and Smith kept their romance a secret.
He said he couldn’t say anything about their connection since no one knew about it but them. Furthermore, there were few images or videos of the couple that suggested they were a couple.
On September 7, 2006, two years into their relationship, Birkhead and Smith welcomed their only child together, daughter Dannielynn Birkhead. Unfortunately, her mother died of a heroin overdose five months after her arrival, on February 8, 2007, at the age of 39.
In addition, Smith’s first child, Daniel, whom she had with her first husband, Billy Wayne, died at the age of 20 from an accidental drug overdose. It had only been three days since the birth of his half-sister.
Her one-year-old daughter was said to be getting corrective eye surgery a year after Smith’s death. Her father reported that she had been diagnosed with strabismus (often known as a lazy eye).
Birkhead revealed his child’s health problem in January 2008 and acknowledged to being concerned about the operation. He added that losing Smith, her son, and his father, who had undergone surgery and lost his life, as well as her daughter’s health difficulties, was too much for him to take.
Birkhead explained why he changed his mind, saying, that alot of parents provided a lot of support and a lot of encouraging words and gave him the strength. Nonetheless, he was certain Dannielyn was in the best doctors’ hands.
Birkhead purposefully chose to keep their young daughter away from the spotlight after Smith died. He and Dannielynn grew up together in a tiny Kentucky hamlet.
Meanwhile, Birkhead has continued to honor Smith’s memory by attending the Kentucky Derby every year and establishing a tradition with their daughter, who normally joins him at the iconic annual event. They had a great time, he stated in a May 2022 interview, and it’s kind of been a tradition that they would go every year.
Dannielynn’s father also said that the girl has had several offers to feature in films and TV series, but she is not interested in spending her life on camera just yet.
Birkhead added that if his kid decides to pursue a career in show business and she chooses it, he would totally back her. He claimed that she is now in 10th grade and doing well in school, and that her emphasis is on being a regular kid, which is good.
Dannielynn looked stunning in a Leo Lin sunflower print gown as the father-daughter combo attended the 149th Kentucky Derby in May of this year. The adolescent paid respect to her late mother by accessorizing her ensemble with a crystal necklace and bracelet from Smith’s collection.
Dannielynn walked the red carpet at Churchhill Downs beside her dad, who was dressed in a light blue suit with a yellow tie and sunflower lapel pin.
This was not the first time Dannielyn had paid tribute to her mom via her fashion. She wore a black and white shirt with a print containing images from Smith’s 1992 Guess ad to the 34th Annual Barnstable Brown Gala. She also donned jewelry from her mother’s collection.
The 16-year-old’s choice of attire for her most recent Kentucky Derby performance surprised social media users. “She looks so much like her mom—just pure perfection,” one person remarked. Beautiful.” Another person praised Birkead’s involvement in her life, saying, “My lord, she is lovely like her mother!! Identical! Thank you for always being there for her, Dad! “You are fantastic.”
“[…] You’re doing an incredible job with her, Larry!” said a third user. You all look fantastic!” “Larry, I am so proud of you and your beautiful daughter!” said the fourth user. You did a fantastic job parenting her correctly. Best wishes to you both.”
Birkhead spoke on “The Steve Harvey Show” nine years after Smith’s death and opened up about being a single father. He remarked that, although raising his kids needed work, there were benefits.
He characterized their everyday existence as an “adventure” and confessed he struggled with being a single father, wishing he had someone to help him out. Dannielynn was just nine years old at the time, and her father would help her select her outfits as well as aid her with her schoolwork.
Birkhead acknowledged that raising his kid without her mom was challenging, as he had to constantly ensure that he stayed on track and did the things that a mother would normally do. He went on to say that there were days on the playground when she’d say she wanted her mother back. It’s difficult for her to go to the grave.
Her former lover sent an impassioned tribute to her on social media on the fifteenth anniversary of her death. He shared a black-and-white picture of the pair and stated that he was recalling her over a decade after her sad death.
She truly was one of a kind. She was searching for love and acceptance. Life appeared sabotaged just when she discovered a little piece of one or the other, he said, adding that the late model was magnificent “both inside and out.”
Birkhead noted in a September 2016 interview, some 10 years after Smith’s death, that there were frequent memories of Smith that made him tearful now and then. There are things left unanswered, things he didn’t get to say to her, he remarked. He stated that it constantly bothers him to say that his daughter’s mother is no longer alive while filling out documents at her school.
Despite Smith’s untimely loss and difficult feelings, Birkhead stays optimistic for the sake of his daughter.
