It was anticipated that Jennifer Grey, who played “Baby” in the iconic movie Dirty Dancing, would have much better employment chances.
However, it was not intended to be. Rather, a horrible incident drastically altered everything and forced her to permanently quit the film industry.
Jennifer Grey has finally opened out about the terrible period of her life that left her permanently traumatized after many years.
But the cast and crew knew what they had done as soon as Dirty Dancing hit theaters in August 1987.
Patrick Swayze, the male protagonist, was successful right away. He became well-known as a teen idol and sex icon before starring in popular films like Ghost and Donnie Darko.
However, his co-star Jennifer Grey wasn’t doing well when the movie came out, and she quickly disappeared. Jennifer Grey disappeared as abruptly as she had appeared amid the joy and celebrations.
Additionally, the actress was absent from the media for a very long time.
However, in a recent interview, she talked candidly about the accident that changed her life.
However, let’s first look at Jennifer Grey’s life before to the tragic event that occurred in the summer of 1987.
Jennifer Gray started attending dance classes at a young age. Her father may have urged her to seek a career in entertainment when she was born in New York in 1960. Her father, Joel Gray, was an actor, singer, dancer, photographer, and director.
During her time at Dalton School, Jennifer focused on dancing and acting. After graduating in 1978, she enrolled in the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theater and began looking for performing roles. At the same time, her life was not exactly a dance on roses. Jennifer was compelled to work as a waitress to help pay the expenses.
She managed to land a few TV commercial jobs despite this, including one for Dr. Pepper. Her first acting role was in the 1984 movie “Reckless.” She received a big break a few years later when she starred as Frances “Baby” Houseman in the film “Dirty Dancing.”
Author Eleanor Bergstein’s childhood served as a major inspiration for the story of this well-loved film. Jennifer became well-known overnight and received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress.
Unfortunately, she was never able to capitalize on the enormous success.
Shortly before the film’s August 1987 release, Grey and her then-boyfriend Matthew Broderick were residing in Ireland.
However, the pair suffered a terrible car accident when Broderick struck another vehicle while driving on the wrong side of the road. A woman and her daughter were in the second car, and they both perished instantly.
Eventually, the charge of reckless driving against Broderick was dropped in favor of reckless driving. Jennifer Grey’s psychological wounds remained even if she only had minor physical injuries like bruises.
Dirty Dancing made its debut just a few days later. However, Grey was unable to enjoy the film in spite of its widespread appeal.
It just didn’t make sense to contrast that intense suffering, the survivor’s guilt, and then being heralded as the next big thing. Being the talk of the town didn’t feel good, according to Grey.
The trauma induced by the accident will never fully heal the actress.
“My ambition was never the same, and my brain was never the same,” she said.
Hellish nose job
She fought survivor’s guilt, disappeared for a few years in the early 1990s, and then reappeared in a 1995 Friends episode.
By then, she had had plastic surgery, and her face was a whole makeover.
It was similar to being in a witness protection program or feeling anonymous. The nose job was the worst I’ve ever had. No one will ever identify me as the former well-known actress with the nose job.
Jennifer’s Hollywood career was sporadic after that.
By 2010, Jennifer had re-established herself in the mainstream media. After winning the TV show “Dancing with the Stars,” she was once again a passionate fan favorite. That was something that was important to her, she said.
“I feel like I’ve starved myself because I’m afraid of what other people think of me,” the celebrity remarked. “It’s like eating a wonderful steak after being on a diet for 23 years.”
In 2018, Grey returns to the public eye once more. Both “Untogether” and the upcoming comedy “Red Oaks” will include her.
We’re so happy that you’re back to being enthusiastic and happy, Jennifer!
Now, who else is nostalgic enough to wish to go back to 1987? Below is the famous scene from Dirty Dancing. Such lovely recollections!
Mom Slammed, Told Her Wrinkled Baby ‘Should Be Kept Hidden’ — He’s Turned into a Handsome Man Years Later
In many ways, Tomm Tennent was an incredibly unique person. From the moment he arrived in the world, everyone around him knew he was different from other babies. When he was born, he had excess skin, sufficient enough to cover a five-year-old kid.
Even the doctors were baffled when they saw his wrinkled appearance, as they had never seen anything like it in their medical career. Tomm’s parents, Debbie and Geoff Tennent were also flabbergasted when they saw their baby and didn’t know how to react.
Debbie and Geoff Tennent | Source: YouTube.com/60 Minutes Australia
From his incredible birth experience to his life after that, Tomm and his parents experienced a journey unlike any other. It all started when Debbie and Geoff welcomed their son in a South East Australia hospital in 1993.
Eventually, after years of trying and looking for a clue, they stumbled upon something astonishing.
At the time, they didn’t know how special their baby boy would be. Before Tomm’s birth, his parents couldn’t have guessed that their child would go on to mystify medical professionals. But when they went in for the ultrasounds, they discovered nothing was as expected.
Initially, the Tennents struggled to determine whether or not they would keep the baby. But after discussing the matter, it didn’t take them long to decide that regardless of the consequences, they would go through with the pregnancy.
Tomm Tennent pictured as a baby | YouTube.com/60 Minutes Australia
But while Debbie and Geoff were prepared for everything, they were oblivious to how serious their child’s condition could be. They were taken aback and rendered speechless when they laid eyes on their infant son for the first time.
“When [Tomm] came out, I was quite shocked…I didn’t think a human, or a little baby, could ever look like that,” recalled Geoff about the moment he first saw his son. Of the instance when her baby was placed on her chest, Debbie recounted:
“My heart came up to my throat.”
But at the same time, Debbie was overcome with motherly sentiments and said it felt lovely to cuddle her son. Despite their shocked initial reaction, the Tennents embraced their son, who had too much skin covering almost every inch of his body.
A close up of Tomm Tennent’s wrinkled legs and feet | Source: YouTube.com/60 Minutes Australia
Medical Mystery & the Challenges of Growing Up
Tomm’s never-before-seen skin condition and wrinkled look baffled his parents and doctors. Since they could not decipher the reason behind his excess skin, they didn’t know how to treat it.
After much contemplation, medical experts hoped that, over time, the boy would grow into his skin. But given the youngster’s unique appearance, researchers felt triggered to explore his case further and solve the rather complex genetic puzzle.
Debbie Tennent holds her son, Tomm Tennent, while petting a Shar Pei | Source: YouTube.com/60 Minutes Australia
Tomm was no stranger to hospital visits and stayed in a medical center for two and a half months. There, he had to undergo multiple tests and scans, which were reportedly insufficient in helping the researchers crack the code of his mysterious condition.
Andrew Ramsden, Tomm’s pediatrician, admitted that his case was incredibly challenging because he was the first baby born on record with excess skin, and the doctors had nowhere to turn to for guidance.
Accompanying their little boy on his many doctor’s visits and staying with him in the hospital for months wasn’t easy for the Tennents. But they found their strength and courage from looking at their sweet son, who was a happy tot and didn’t know the magnitude of his condition.
Tomm Tennent is pictured enjoying a bath | Source: YouTube.com/60 Minutes Australia
As time passed, Tomm’s doctors continued researching his condition, hoping to find something helpful. Eventually, after years of trying and looking for a clue, they stumbled upon something astonishing.
Medical professionals drew similarities between Tom’s appearance and the Shar Pei, a Chinese dog breed. They learned that the youngster’s excess skin was due to an oversupply of Hyaluronic Acid, which was 100 times higher than usual.
The same was true for Shar Pei puppies. Provided that the acid levels decreased in Shar Peis as they grew older and their appearance improved, the medical experts hoped for the same for Tomm.
Tomm Tennent pictured combing his hair while looking in the mirror. | Source: YouTube.com/60 Minutes Australia
Fortunately, as the doctors had anticipated, time was the best healer in Tomm’s case. Growing up, the Australian child received immense love and support from his parents. But he also experienced a multitude of challenges.
“Don’t judge people by what they looked like,” noted a young Tomm. Although he had always believed nothing was wrong with him, not everyone reciprocated his sentiments.
People continued to tease him, and he struggled to make friends at school. He felt hurt when kids refused to play with him or include him in their groups.
But instead of retreating and being demotivated by other people’s behavior toward him, Tomm began participating in games and made many friends. Soon, his school experience remarkably improved, and people started seeing him differently.
A young Tomm Tennent | Source: YouTube.com/60 Minutes Australia
While the Tennents were pleased to see their son move forward in life, some memories were etched in their minds. Debbie recollected an incident in a local bakery with Tomm when a woman approached her, questioning her decision to take her son out in public.
But that wasn’t all. The lady reportedly told Debbie that her son “should be kept hidden.” Devastated by the woman’s comments, the Australian mother didn’t know what to say to her then but vowed to care for her son and raise him in the best possible manner.
And as time would tell, Geoff and Debbie felt pure joy and pride seeing their son grow up. They were proud of him for being a good boy and excelling in every aspect of life, including school.
In an exclusive interview in 2003, the then-11-year-old Tomm said he saw a “kind, loving person” whenever he looked in the mirror. He confessed he wasn’t concerned about how his peers viewed him because they didn’t care about his appearance.
From the beginning, Debbie and Geoff taught their son to accept and love himself just as he was. The couple believed that real beauty came from within, and they instilled the same values in their beloved boy.
Their efforts paid off because when Tomm was asked if he would change anything about himself, he responded, “Probably nothing.” With his parents’ affection and his inner strength, Tomm became an exceptionally kind and lovable person.
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