Melissa Gilbert is celebrating her 62nd birthday with friends, her first since her husband Timmothy Busfield was arrested on allegations of child sexual abuse in January. The Little House on the Prairie actress appeared in a video shared by her team at Modern Prairie, which showed her crocheting before two colleagues walked into the room to sing "happy birthday" and give her a "bee-sting cake" covered in candles.
"Make a wish," they said to which she replied: "Oh I know what that is going to be."
"And all of this for my 35th birthday," she then quipped. You can watch the video above.
© Corbis via Getty ImagesThe post, shared by Modern Prairie, praised Melissa for being "smart, resilient, creative, deeply thoughtful, and a leader in every sense of the word".
"Your vision, courage, and heart have helped shape Modern Prairie into a place where women feel seen, supported, and celebrated. You remind us that strength and softness can exist together, that reinvention is powerful, and that women in every season of life deserve to take up space."
© AFP via Getty ImagesIt concluded: "Today, we celebrate you—not just for all you’ve accomplished, but for the way you continue to lead with honesty, purpose, humor, and heart."
Melissa has stood by her husband and made her first public appearance on April 6 in an interview with GMA's George Stephanopoulos, "to clarify the facts of the case, which seem to have become lost to distraction, selective information and clickbait".
© NBCUniversal via Getty ImagesWhen asked by George what Timothy's arrest has been like for her, she replied: "Hell. This has been the most traumatizing experience of our lives."
Melissa continued: "Our life as we knew it is done. We are grieving what we had – all of our plans, all of our dreams, all of our ideas, all of our projects."
© Bruce Glikas/Getty ImagesTimothy surrendered to police on January 13 after the Albuquerque Police Department issued a warrant for his arrest four days earlier, alleging he engaged in unlawful sexual conduct with 11-year-old twin boys on the set of the TV show, The Cleaning Lady.
He has been accused of two counts of criminal sexual contact with a minor and one count of child abuse. He vehemently denies all allegations.
On February 6, Timothy was indicted by a Bernalillo County grand jury on four counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor (child under 13), to which he pleaded not guilty on all counts on February 10, per a plea entry filed in New Mexico's Second Judicial District Court.
His trial is scheduled to begin in May 2027. "Mr. Busfield will fight these charges at every stage and looks forward to testing the State’s case in open court – where evidence matters – not behind closed doors," his lawyer told People.
