"Gilligan's Island" Dawn Wells Receives Help to Fight the Housing Crisis



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Gilligan Island star Dawn Wells will move into assisted living this weekend thanks to generous fans who have so far donated more than $ 120,000 to help the young actress 79 years the media report.

Bob Denver, with Gilligan's Island teammates, Dawn Wells and Alan Hale Jr, in 1965. (AP Photo)

The actress, who played Mary Ann in the 1960s sitcom, benefited from a GoFundMe effort launched by her friend, stylist Dugg Kirkpatrick, USA Today. Kirkpatrick said her situation is sadly common to many seniors in America these days: she lost nearly $ 200,000 in debt as a result of a life-threatening operation and an accident that he has been driving to the hospital for two months.

According to TMZ, the exceptional hospital bills and penalties of the Internal Revenue Service also prevented her from moving into housing outside of Los Angeles, which would have been more appropriate for her health problems. The site said it would move into its new home this weekend.

"Dawn is experiencing one of the biggest fears Americans have, an uncertain future," wrote Kirkpatrick on the GoFundMe page. "If any of you wish to contribute a small amount to help a woman who has given so much joy to many people over the years, it would be so appreciated."

More than 3,000 people came to his rescue, raising $ 121,000 on Friday morning.

On Wednesday, Wells expressed gratitude to her fans in a message posted Wednesday on her official Facebook page, saying she never expected to end up in this situation.

"I am amazed at the kindness and affection I have received from the current outpouring of the" Go Fund Me "page that attracts so much attention and wants to answer it," she said. Explain.

She wrote that she was facing "common problems that we all understand and need to face.

"I thought I was taking all the necessary steps to secure my golden years," she said. "Now I am here, no family, no husband, no children and no money.

But she wrote that her vision remains positive, especially because "God has given me so many friends and fans who care about me. … I am grateful to all my fans who are willing to offer their support.

"Gilligan's Island" in 1978: Russell Johnson, as a teacher; Jim Backus as Thurston Howell III; Natalie Schafer, as Mrs. Howell III; Alan Hale Jr., as skipper; Bob Denver, like Gilligan; Judith Baldwin replaces the original actress Tina Louise as Ginger and Dawn Wells as Mary Ann. (AP Photo / Wally Fong, File)

Kirkpatrick said some of the money raised would be used to help with housing construction and that the rest will go to a trust to cover the future living expenses of Wells.

However, Wells representative Harlan Boll told USA Today Thursday that Wells may not keep the donations, although it is unclear why.

"For the moment, it has not yet been decided whether it will make the funds so generously donated by its fans and friends or whether it will go into a fund / trust (for transparency purposes) that would help alleviate previously mentioned problems, "Boll told USA Today in an email.

"Gilligan's Island," a sitcom of seven disparate people gathered on a tropical island, ran from 1964 to 1967. Among the actors, only Wells and Tina Louise still live. The two women played hut comrades, with Louise portraying the sexy, movie star Marilyn Monroe-esque Ginger Grant, and Wells playing the girl next door on a Kansas farm.

Wells is a native of Reno, Nevada, and a major theater sister of the University of Washington. She started in the show business as Miss Nevada in 1959. She also participated in the Miss America Contest of 1960. She appeared in several television series before and after her stint at Gilligan's Island.

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