Anna Nicole Smith and her ex-boyfriend, photographer Larry Birkhead, met briefly during the Kentucky Derby in 2003.
However, the couple would not marry until a year later, in 2004. Several years later, during a 2020 interview, Larry freely acknowledged their relationship, revealing that he and Smith kept their affair a secret.
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He said he couldn’t say anything about their connection because no one knew about it but them. Furthermore, there were few images or videos of the couple that suggested they were a couple. Larry elaborated:
“She was supposed to be this type of sex goddess who was always accessible. That was her persona—being accessible and the target of everyone’s desire. In so many ways, it worked against me.”
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On September 7, 2006, Larry and Smith welcomed their only child together, daughter Dannielynn Birkhead, two years into their relationship. 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 was only three days after 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).
“She is meeting and exceeding all of her milestones, and she is preparing for surgery.”
Larry had revealed his child’s health condition in January 2008 and acknowledged being concerned about the operation. He added that the loss of Smith, her son, and his father, who had undergone surgery and lost his life, was too much for him to endure in regard to his daughter.
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Larry revealed what prompted his change of heart, saying, “A lot of parents offered me a lot of support and a lot of encouraging words and gave me the strength.” Nonetheless, he was certain she was “in the greatest physicians’ hands.”
Larry purposefully chose to raise his daughter away from the spotlight after the death of her mother when she was a baby. He and Dannielynn grew up together in a small Kentucky hamlet.
Meanwhile, Larry has continued to commemorate 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. In a May 2022 interview, he stated:
“We had a terrific time, and it’s become a habit for us to go every year.”
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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.
Larry added that if his child decides to pursue a career in show business and she chooses it, he will totally back her. He claimed that she is currently in 10th grade and doing well in school and that her focus is on being a regular child, which is good.
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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 tribute to her late mother by complimenting her appearance with a crystal necklace and bracelet from Smith’s line.
Dannielynn walked the red carpet at Churchhill Downs beside her father, who was dressed in a light blue suit with a yellow tie and a sunflower lapel pin.
She also wore a black and white top at the 34th Annual Barnstable Brown Gala to honor her adored celebrity mother. The top included a print of images from Smith’s 1992 Guess campaign, which Dannielynn complemented with jewelry.
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The 16-year-old’s Kentucky Derby attire choice astonished social media users. “She looks so much like her mom—absolutely pure perfection,” one person remarked. Beautiful.” Another poster praised Larry’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 very proud of you and your gorgeous daughter!” said the fourth user. You did a fantastic job parenting her correctly. Best wishes to you both.”
Larry came on “The Steve Harvey Show” nine years after Smith’s death and spoke honestly about being a single dad. He remarked that, while raising his child needed work, there were benefits.
He described their everyday lives as “adventures” and acknowledged struggling as a single father. He wishes he had someone to assist him. Dannielynn was just nine years old at the time, and her father assisted her in choosing clothes for the day as well as helping her with homework.
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Larry stated that raising his child without her mother was challenging since he always made sure he was on track and did the things a mother would normally do. He went on to say:
“There were days on the playground when she’d declare she wanted her mother back. “It’s difficult for her to go to the grave.”
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Her old lover sent an impassioned tribute to her on social media on the fifteenth anniversary of her death. He shared a black-and-white photo of the pair and stated that he was “remembering” her over a decade after her sad death.
“She genuinely was one of a kind.” She was searching for love and acceptance. “Life seemed ruined just as she discovered a small piece of one or the other,” he explained. Larry went on to say that the late model was stunning “both inside and out.”
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Larry noted in a September 2016 interview, some 10 years after the television personality’s death, that there were frequent memories of her that made him sad now and again.
“There are things left unanswered, things I didn’t get to express to her,” Larry 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.
“Sometimes, if I stop and think about it and you ask me about it, you’ll see a tear, but every other minute of the day, you’ll see a grin.” “That’s simply how it is,” he explained. Despite Smith’s untimely loss and difficult feelings, Larry remains hopeful for the sake of his daughter.