There’s nothing like a mother’s love, and Loni Anderson knows this all too well. When her daughter, Deidra Hoffman, began experiencing strange symptoms—numbness in her fingers one day and tingling in her spine the next—the actress was immediately worried. But Deidra, a busy mom juggling two teenage girls at the time, initially brushed it off as stress. It wasn’t until an MRI in 2009 that the truth came to light: Deidra was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, a condition that would change their lives forever.
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“I fell apart,” Loni confessed in a heartfelt interview with Closer, recalling the moment she learned of her eldest child’s diagnosis. “I didn’t want to fall apart in front of her because I knew she was struggling just to keep herself together. But it was so hard to come to terms with it. You’re a mom, and you’re supposed to protect your kids. How do you protect them from something like this?”
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Loni and her daughter in 1993.
Staying Strong for Family
When Deidra began to break down, overwhelmed by fear, unable to eat or sleep, Loni knew she had to be the rock her family needed. The WKRP in Cincinnati star, who is also the former wife of Burt Reynolds and mother to their son Quinton, 28, never hesitated to step up. “You have to keep moving forward and make the most of every situation,” Loni told Closer in a previous interview. “This is a message of hope. We don’t have a cure yet, but we’re learning more every single day. And that gives me strength.”
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Challenges Along the Way
Of course, it’s not always easy. Loni admits that some days are harder than others, especially when her daughter isn’t in a place to answer her calls. “Sometimes she won’t pick up if she’s having a bad day,” Loni shares with a hint of sadness in her voice. “But I get it. It’s just easier for her to shut out the world on those days. Still, I keep trying because she’s my daughter, and I love her more than anything.”
Loni with Deidra and granddaughters McKenzie and Megan.
A Mother's Presence
Despite the challenges, Loni makes it a point to be there for every MRI, every test—anything to remind her daughter that she’s not alone. “Deidra knows I’ll always be there for her,” Loni says proudly. “And our family is so close-knit. We all needed each other to get through this. It’s not just about Deidra; it’s about all of us standing together.”
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