Tori Spelling and Dean McDermott have come a long way since the months following their contentious 2023 split. The years leading up to the former couple's summer 2023 split was marred with issues, from infidelity to alleged domestic disputes, and after separating, the Canadian actor admitted that it has been a few months since he last saw his family. However, the two have since landed in a much better place, with the Beverly Hills, 90210 alum raving as much in a birthday post to her ex.
Tori, in honor of Dean's 59th birthday on Sunday, November 16, took to Instagram with a heartfelt tribute, sharing insight into their loving co-parenting relationship. The doting mom included several photos throughout the year, featuring herself and Dean, alongside their five kids together, Liam, 18, Stella, 17, Hattie, 13, Finn, 12, and Beau, eight.
"Happy BIRTHday @imdeanmcdermott. Grateful you were born this day. We might not have gotten some things right in our past relationship but we got 5 THINGS ABSOLUTELY PERFECT!" she first wrote, referring to their children. "We created and are raising 5 kind, compassionate , and soulful humans. Humor beyond as well! Very proud to continue on this co-parent journey with you."
Fans were quick to then take to the comments section under the post and gush over it, though first Dean himself wrote: "Thank you for the wonderful post, but most of all, thank you for the 5 Little Rock Stars you gave me. They are our heart and soul. We DID that. I'm so blessed to be co-parenting with such a kind and compassionate human being. Love you T. The music you picked is on point!!! Jane's forever!" referring to the post's song, "Then She Did…" by Jane's Addiction.
Fans followed suit with: "This is such a beautiful post. I love your heart!!" and: "Happy Birthday Dean! Love pics with the kids! He is a great dad! You and Tori are wonderful parents and those 5 babies are beautiful," as well as: "Regardless of the ups and downs in your marriage, thanks to your 5 kids you'll always have a special connection with Dean, and this is BEAUTIFUL."
In November 2023, some months after splitting from Tori, Dean opened up to the Daily Mail about how financial troubles and his own struggles with alcohol and drug addiction left Tori and their family "petrified," and it eventually led to the dissolution of their relationship. "Taking accountability" for the "pain" he inflicted in the time leading up to their split, he first maintained: "All Tori's ever done to this day is want me to be happy and healthy and I inflicted a lot of damage and pain on that woman," and declared: "I'm taking accountability for that today. And it's the biggest amend that I'm ever going to have to make."
"Alcohol made me feel good enough. I started feeling good enough until it got to a point where it didn't – it ended up in isolation," he then recalled, admitting: "It ended up with me drinking a fifth of tequila every night, seven days a week, and a handful of narcos [prescription medication] by myself with a beautiful family in the other room."
He further shared: "That's what it led to and that's what led to the brokenness and to what happened between me and Tori," adding: "I couldn't do it anymore. I couldn't live that life anymore. I was tired of the anger and the yelling," and that he is "going to be living the rest of my life making amends because I took something that was really beautiful and I just tore it down year after year, day after day."