Kelsey Grammer is one brave soul. The actor faced his sister’s killer last year and told him that he forgave him.
More importantly, Grammer has also finally forgiven himself.
The actor, who is about to hit 60, is known for his charming portrayal of know-it-all psychiatrist Dr. Frasier Crane on Cheers and Frasier. But behind the witty remarks and deadpan humor lies a world of pain.
Grammer’s younger sister Karen was abducted, raped and killed by spree killer Freddie Glenn and two accomplices. She was only 18.
Kelsey Grammer opens up about the family tragedy that shaped his life http://t.co/SxlpYn9UAd pic.twitter.com/lEN1gXjwu9
— VANITY FAIR (@VanityFair) April 15, 2015
The tragedy nearly destroyed Grammer, a fact that he admitted to in a recent Vanity Fair interview.
“That was the time when I could not forgive myself for my sister’s death,” he explained about the self-destructive phase he went through at the height of his career.
“I know a lot of people who’ve lost their siblings and blame themselves,” he said. “It’s hard to explain. It’s not rational. But it happens anyway.”
And that guilt of not being able to protect his younger sister led him to alcohol and cocaine.
But they say time, experience and love can help us deal with pain in a better way.
For the Finding Neverland actor, it’s Kayte Walsh, the woman who has “changed my heart, which was a bit calloused and hardened against a lot of things” that turned things around.
Despite the peace that Grammer has finally achieved after years of sadness and guilt, he’s still determined to keep his sister’s killer behind bars.
The actor has successfully opposed Glenn’s every single appeal for parole. The latest one took place just last year, when he confronted his sister’s killer via video conference and told him that he forgave him.
“I believe the gift of life and freedom he took from my sister precludes him from ever being allowed to enjoy that gift for himself,” is his simple explanation.
During the interview, the actor mused about how there is a tide in the affairs on man. And in Kelsey Grammer’s case, it certainly seems like the tide is finally turning in his favor as he heals and finds peace amidst the tragedies that has hounded his life.