Dick Van Dyke, the beloved entertainer whose career spans decades, found himself grappling with an unfamiliar loneliness after losing two life partners. But then came an unexpected third chance at love—with a woman nearly 50 years younger—who, he says, saved him.

Van Dyke rose to fame in the 1960s with his Tony-winning performance in Bye Bye Birdie, later cementing his stardom with roles in Mary Poppins and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Yet before the fame, he married Margie Willett, his hometown sweetheart from Danville, Illinois.

“We were too broke for a real wedding,” he recalled. “So in 1948, we exchanged our vows in front of a minister and two radio microphones while 15 million people listened!”

Willett, described as “earthy and artistic,” kept away from Hollywood’s spotlight. She devoted herself to raising their four children, even after miscarrying twins. But Van Dyke’s 25-year battle with alcoholism strained their relationship. “I tried to be a good role model, but… it inevitably impacted family life.”

When he sought help, he discovered Willett was also battling addiction. “I thought she came to pick me up from rehab—but she checked in. She was hooked on antidepressants. I had no idea.”

The couple eventually drifted apart, and Van Dyke began a long relationship with Michelle Triola, a former actress who understood show business. “She was feisty, smart, and… knew the showbiz world inside out,” he said. They were together for 35 years until Triola’s death in 2009 from lung cancer.

“I had never been without a companion looking out for me,” he reflected. “When she asked if she was going to die, I pretended I didn’t know—the hardest acting I’ve ever done.”