Loni Willison, a former model and ex-wife of Baywatch star Jeremy Jackson, resurfaced this week on the streets of Los Angeles.
Willison, 40, was spotted smoking a cigarette and pushing a shopping cart filled with blankets on June 29. The former star appeared contemplative, dressed in a layered top, skirt, leggings, white socks, and a baseball cap worn backward. She also accessorized with several bracelets and a stack of necklaces.
Willison’s life took a drastic turn following her 2014 split from Jackson, to whom she was married for less than two years, Daily Mail has detailed.
Jeremy Jackson and Loni Willison pictured in 2012. Credit: Paul Archuleta / FilmMagic / Getty.
Recently, she has been seen searching for food and essentials, highlighting the severe hardships she faces. Jackson is best known for his role as Hobie Buchannon on the hit TV show Baywatch.
In May, the Daily Mail captured photos of Willison dumpster diving for beauty and hygiene products, including a bottle of mouthwash. This starkly contrasts her past life, where she graced the covers of magazines like Glam Fit, Flavour, and Iron Man. Just a few months earlier, she was seen eating yogurt with paint-covered hands and roaming the city, and was also spotted shopping at the now-defunct 99 Cents store.
Willison has publicly blamed her ex-husband Jackson for her downward spiral. In a candid interview with X17 Online, she pinpointed the beginning of her troubles to their marriage. “My ex-husband. Getting married. At least I got divorced… it set everything up,” she said.
She also told the Daily Mail about her mental health struggles, revealing that she suffered a breakdown in 2016. During this period, she believed that someone was sending electrical currents into her body, a delusion that she thought could only be cured by taking crystal meth. Around this time, she began living on the streets and has since battled addiction and mental health issues.
Loni Willison pictured recently in Los Angeles. Credit: Rachpoot / Bauer-Griffin / GC Images / Getty.
“I haven’t spoken to Jeremy. I don’t want to speak to my friends, I’m doing just fine. I don’t want anyone to help me,” she said, reflecting on her current situation. “I can live on my own. I’ve got everything I need right here.”
One of Jackson’s other exes, Cindy Kovacs, also expressed her sorrow over Willison’s plight. “It’s really sad what happened to Loni and she never got the help she needs,” Kovacs said.
Willison’s tragic story serves as a somber reminder of the complexities of mental health, addiction, and homelessness. We are sending our thoughts to her.